Drowning
by silverwyst
Summary: [UPLOADED AND EDITED FROM OLD ACCOUNT] Annie Cresta's Hunger Games.
1. Chapter 1

Re-uploading from my old account. Not stealing.

He loves me. He loves me not _. I repeated to myself. I stared at him and plucked the petals off the pink Dianthus in my hand. I ran out of petals on_ he loves me not _and discarded the naked flower to the sand._

" _Hey!" I heard a voice. It was his. He was standing waist deep in water with a small group of boys. He held a trident full of fish and ushered me towards the water. Of course I eagerly obliged, almost forgetting the net I had for him lying net to me._

 _My toes hit the cold water and I only stepped in a few inches before I decided I shouldn't go any further. I wasn't allowed to get my new white dress wet. He rolled his eyes and waded out to meet me. He was so handsome. Bronze hair and tanned skin with such beautiful sea-green eyes. I was mesmerised._

 _He cleared his throat. I snapped back to attention. He expectantly held his hand out for the net. I blushed scarlet._

" _H-here you go." I passed him the net, our hands touching for a bare second. My face turned rosier._

" _Thanks." He grinned._

" _N-no problem Finnick." I stuttered quietly._

 _A short and silent pause was wedged between us._

" _Bye," I said quickly. I turned on my heel and stalked back to the beach, mentally slapping myself for acting like such an idiot._

" _Finnick and Annie, sittin' n a tree." The other boys taunted and laughed from the water. I had never felt so humiliated._

" _Leave it guys, she's just a kid." Finnick spoke calmly and made his way back into the water._

 _With tears gathering in my eyes I grabbed my towel from the sand and ran back home. There was no way that I was going to let him see me cry._

 _I knew for sure she would never love me._

Ten Years Later

I tied my curly dark brown hair into a very tight ponytail. I attempted to smile at my reflection, but my smile was weak and my green eyes showed no sign of happiness what so ever. I was dressed a loose and pale blue dress that went down to my knees with baby pink shell embroidery on the chest and sleeves. Simple brown brogues and pale pink socks were on my feet. It was typical Reaping attire.

"You look lovely darling." I looked through the mirror and saw my parents standing at the doorway, gripping tightly to one another for support. I was their only child. Seeing me go to the Reaping each year must have been horrible for them, considering that that year I was only sixteen. I smiled at them in the attempt to make them feel better.

"Don't worry, I have two years left and then I'm finished." I said. This seemed to cheer them up slightly, which made me feel better too.

The bell rang in the distance and I knew that it was time to go. I ran up to my parents and held them in a tight embrace. I let go and a tear ran down my mothers face.

"We will have dinner when you come back from the Reaping." My mother said, her voice breaking.

"With extra seaweed. Just like you like it." My father added for reassurance and slipped an arm around my mother's waist. I nodded in reply and we left our home. I took one final glance at it, in case I would never see it again.

After signing in we all stood in neat groups, The Justice Building and screen were ahead of us. A very brightly dressed woman named Lola Clementine stood on the stage we were facing. She bore a purple floral dress with a yellow wig and an eager grin consuming her face.

Along with her on the stage are the Mayor and the previous Victors, two middle-aged men and an older woman and two empty chairs. One was next to the old woman and one where the Mayor's daughter would have been sitting. They all wore sad expressions and it almost made me mad at them. It was all over for them but was still happening for us.

"Happy Hunger Games. And may the odds ever be in your favour."

There was a very pregnant pause.

"Welcome to the 70th Hunger Games Reaping!" She spoke proudly, clapping her hands. Everyone else was deadly silent; she was definitely thrown by that.

Lola cleared her throat. "Well, I guess now it is time for a special film."

More silence.

"From the Capitol." Lola added to make it sound like it actually meant something to us. She nodded her head to the screen, and images started to appear.

After watching a dull propaganda film about the revolution it was regrettably time for the Reaping.

"Oh I wish I could watch that again." Lola squealed. Obviously she was lying. No one could watch that more than once without being tempted to boredom. "Well now that thrilling part is over," Lola grinned brightly. "It is now time to choose a female to represent District Four in this years Hunger Games." Lola pranced towards the bowl on the left. She shuffled her hand around in the glass bowl for a good minute and each second, the ringing in my ear was growing louder.

A folded piece in hand she made her way to the microphone again, cleared her throat and spoke a name.

"Annie Cresta."

My entire world froze. I went numb.

 _Someone please volunteer!_

"Where are you dear?" Lola got on her toes and looked out towards the crowd.

 _Anyone!_

The girls parted in front of me. Someone from behind was pushing me forward. I had no choice but to walk.

 _Please!_

"There you are dearest," Lola said and ushered me up the steps.

The clicking of my shoes on the concrete sent shivers up my spine and I didn't want to look up in fear that I would break down in front of my entire District. It was very difficult for me to hide my face due to my tight pony tail so I just kept my attention down to my shoes. I stole glances at my mother crying in my fathers arms. I wish I hadn't.

"Are there any volunteers?" Lola asked and looked around the girls.

I looked too, pleading silently to them and only getting blank expressions. I recognized more than a few girls that just lowered their heads down to the ground. I couldn't blame them; I would have done the same.

"Now for the gentlemen." Lola spoke in what seemed like eternity. She did the same for the boys.

The cameras tried to capture a nice shot of my face. I was too nervous to look back and just kept staring at my shoes, waiting for the next damned soul.

"I volunteer!" A boy dressed in a cotton white shirt and dark blue trousers shouted before Lola could pull out a name.

I glanced up for the first time and immediately knew the reason why he volunteered. He was around six foot two with pale golden hair and piercing clear blue eyes. Not to mention that he was completely chiselled. District Four was considered a career district but not as many people volunteered here as they did in Districts One and Two.

Unlike me, he pushed his way through the others and strode confidently up the steps of the Justice Building. That moment I knew he wasn't a damned soul, but a victor.

"What is your name sir?" Lola asked with a hint of mischievous flirting in her voice.

"Rio Ellwitt." He replied confidently looking over the crowd like he owned the place. He towered ten inches above me and looked about eighteen. I guessed that since this was his last chance to be apart of the Hunger Games, he decided to volunteer, it seemed so crazy to me.

With a sigh the defeated looking Mayor rose out of his chair and replaced Lola at the microphone and began to read the Treaty of Treason, mandatory at the Reapings. It was long, dull and I had heard it four times already. I listened because hearing it one last time couldn't hurt.

A delicate hand was placed on my back and I turned to find Lola ushering Rio and me together.

"Come on you two, shake hands." We did as we were asked, his handshake was firm and his eyes were unwavering on mine.

I knew that I was going to die.

I was staring out the window of the Justice Building when my parents barged into the cold and dark holding room. I ran up to them, holding them tighter than I ever had before. I tried so hard not to cry.

When I pulled away my mother's cheeks were wet with tears and my father held out a small piece of net in my face.

"What's this?" I asked, taking the gift carefully in my hands.

"It's the first knot you ever tied when you were three." My father answered. His eyes shiny with oppressed tears. He laughed weakly. "You learned how to tie nets before your own shoes." My father pressed his lips together.

 _Did he know that I was going to die too?_

With shaky hands my mother took the net from my hand and fashioned it into a bracelet. "Please accept this as your token."

"Of course, mom." I smiled a fake smile. We all embraced one more time.

"Times up!" A Peacekeeper called from the door signalling my parents to leave.

"I love you," I whispered to them.

"We love you too. So much." My mother replied and gently kissed my cheek.

The door closed and everything except my rapid heartbeat was quiet. And everything except the lone tear trickling down my face was still.


	2. Chapter 2

The train to the Capitol was pristine and sleek, gliding on the tracks like a bird through air. It was quiet and effortless at two hundred miles an hour.

Dinner was an impressive feast of succulent meat from District 10 and fresh vegetables from District 11. Rio devoured it like a bloodthirsty animal to probably feed his bulking muscles. Lola barely pecked at it to probably keep her slim waist. I ate as much as I could until I felt like I couldn't eat anymore. I wanted to enjoy the time that I had left.

The interior of the Social Cart was just as spectacular. A Sleek metallic finish was on the walls. Sickly cakes and sweets on silver trays sat by the door. Leather chairs around the room. There was even a bar stocked full of beverages, but I wasn't in the mood for drinking.

Everything was quiet. I untied and tied the knot in my hands again and again to calm my nerves. Rio just silently studied at the scenery outside of the window. Lola left us a few minutes earlier so that we could talk to our mentors for the first time. I was scared to meet them. From the moment my named was called out I was scared of everything.

The odd sound of the sliding doors opened and I brought my attention upwards. The old woman victor, who I knew was Mags based on her being the oldest District Four Victor alive, hobbled into the room dressed in a comfortable navy blue dress. A sea green eyed man followed behind her, dressed in expensive looking brown trousers and a white linen shirt that exposed most of his chest. I gazed with shock, believing it couldn't be him.

 _Finnick Odair._

I gripped so tightly onto the net in my hands that my knuckles turned white. He was so much more handsome than I last saw him five years ago, after he won the 65th Hunger Games.

" _Annie, please got to bed. You have been watching the Games twenty-four hours straight," my mother said from the doorway of the living room._

" _Just five more minutes." I yawned, not tearing my eyes away from the screen._

 _Even with all of the blood and death I couldn't stop worrying about Finnick. About him not coming back home to his family, and me never seeing him again. I shouted at him to 'watch out' when another tribute was going in for the kill. But of course he got there first every time, and every time I let out a sigh of relief._

In front of us on the two opposite chairs our mentors sat. Mags sat in front on me, and Finnick in front of Rio. Mags smiled brightly at me and I nervously back. I quickly glanced over to Finnick, who seemed to be looking at me too. He grinned smugly and looked back to Rio. I guessed that he didn't remember me.

"You volunteered, huh?" Finnick said crossing his arms.

"Yes I did." Rio answered, as confident as ever.

"Biggest mistake of your life."

Silence.

"Finnick. Please." Mags said sternly and glared at Finnick, who seemed to be unnerved by her harsh tone.

I didn't expect him to act like this, but like everyone else, I had heard all about his decadent attitude and the rumours. Everyone loved Finnick, especially those who liked his body _._ Finnick was the youngest tribute ever at fourteen to win the Hunger Games, which seemed to impress the Capitol. Everyone back home called him the 'Sex Siren of District Four' for obvious reasons that I didn't want to believe. I tried so hard not to believe. Now I knew that all of it was true.

"We will give you the tools but you have to do it on your own," Finnick said. "Or in an alliance if you want. But getting sponsors is the most important thing you could want."

"I thought survival was the most important." I spoke meekly and all eyes turned to me. I looked back at Finnick and he smirked.

"Sponsors are the key to survival. They give you the necessities. Like water, food and weapons."

"Just like you?" I asked. Finnick looked impressed with a cocked eyebrow and my cheeks burned slightly.

"Yes. Just. Like. Me." Finnick was gifted his trident from the sponsors. It was probably one of the most expensive gifts that any tribute was given in the Games. That trident was the tool to his victory and the many murders of others.

"It doesn't matter if you are shy, insecure or faint at the sight of blood, giving them a show is all that matters." Finnick pointed a finger at us.

"How do we get sponsors then?" Rio asked, leaning towards Finnick.

"It's easier for some than others," Finnick answered. "But I bet a big, strong and confident guy like you can put on an admirable show for them." He mocked and Rio slouched back into his seat, looking slightly deflated by his comment.

Next Finnick turned to me and was silent for too many moments for my liking. He was eyeing me up and down. I crossed my arms over my body self-consciously in response and fiddled with the net in my hand, I avoided his gaze. Finnick chuckled at this.

"If you can't stand only _me_ looking at you like a meal then I don't know how you'll survive all of the sponsors. Or the other tributes."

"Finnick. Enough!" Mags' voice rose to a slight yell. This time Finnick reacted, looking slightly annoyed about it.

"Look. Annie, isn't it?" His tone shifted from rude to gentle.

I nodded.

"As soon as you step off that pedestal the sponsors own you. Just remember that." He said. I was stunned and confused by his final comment. Before I could ask anymore Finnick rose out of his seat and patted down his shirt. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some…business to attend to." He took one last short look at me and exited the way he came.

My heart constricted at the thought of what he might of meant by 'business'. I sighed.

"I am so sorry about him," Mags reassured us with sympathy in her eyes. "After the Games, it now takes him a bit of time to warm up to people."

 _I doubt it doesn't._

For an hour Mags ran through the most important tips of survival. Finding high ground and water, making shelter and so on. It was so much information at once and I kept on imagining the worst-case scenario for everything. It was all too much.

"I need to go lie down." I rose shakily out of my seat. I smiled weakly to Mags. "Thank you for all the information. It was very helpful." I exited through opposite way that Finnick left, towards my own room.

No wonder Finnick wasn't at the Reaping. He was 'busy' with the Mayor's daughter.

My night was restless and dreamless. I didn't sleep a wink. When I awoke, I pulled my hair back into a messy bun and entered the food cart. Lola was fixing her now green makeup. Mags and Finnick were eating on their own with Mags on his left and Finnick sitting at the head. To my surprise he was flashing a real boyish smile and was very engaged in conversation with her. It made him look younger. It was actually nice to see him genuinely happy.

"Good morning." Mags smiled brightly to me. I sat down at the mahogany table.

"Morning," I said not as cheerfully to them.

Before I even looked at the food Mags had already passed me a plate of eggs, sausages and beans. I stared at it confused.

"Nutrition is very important for muscle growth and energy." Mags said.

"Thank you." I said and smiled to her and timidly began to eat.

"What weapon do you use?" Finnick asked, staring at me in the eyes.

"Excuse me?"

He couldn't repeat himself because Rio strode in. Stretching his very muscular arms.

"Good morning, all." He smiled brightly and sat down. He stole a muffin from a silver tray on the table.

"What weapon do you use?" Finnick asked again to Rio this time.

Rio smirked obnoxiously. "Spear. Trident. Whatever I can get my hands on I guess." He shrugged and took a bite out of the muffin.

"What did you say again?" Finnick turned his attention back to me and rested his elbows on the table. I stared down at my food and kept on eating.

"Well?" He asked. I knew he was growing impatient.

"I don't know." I admitted. Finnick did not look impressed. In fact he looked disappointed.

Unlike most people who were trained to use weapons, I wasn't. My parents didn't believe that I would need to because they thought that there would be no chance of me getting reaped. They were so very wrong. Though one time when I was eleven, my father did try to take me fishing and I actually managed to spear a fish. It was still alive and wriggling on the blade with thick crimson blood gushing down onto my hand. I screamed with horror, dropped the spear and ran out of the water. I only started crying when I was alone in my room. That was the last time I went fishing.

"Oh come on. There must be one thing." Finnick spoke louder and firmer, knocking a knife off the table. Almost instinctively I grabbed it in mid-air by the handle and placed it back on the table.

Everything was quiet for a moment.

"That was…something." Mags smiled, Rio looked almost jealous and I couldn't read Finnick's expression. Due to tying knots for three quarters of my life I was pretty good with my hands and my fast reflexes just came naturally.

"My advice is to use knives." Finnick grabbed the knife I saved and started spreading some butter on his toast.

Quick reflexes. Seemed plausible enough to work.

"We're here." Lola sang. She was pressed against the side of the cart and looking out of the window to the Capitol.

Following Rio, I rose out of my seat and headed towards the window. I stood on my toes and looked outwards. The Capitol was even more magnificent and grander in person. There were tall buildings that fractured the perfect blue sky. The lights from the bright reflective city shined in my eyes. I turned away for a moment. But in that moment I saw Mags and Finnick still grounded at the table. She was holding his hand that was clenched into a fist. She muttered something with a sweet tone into his ear. Finnick was looking down with a painful expression on his face. It was heart breaking to look at.

I turned back to the window and this time all I saw was a swarm of colourful dressed people. Dressed like wannabe Lola's, they clapped and cheered at us and I smiled with embarrassment. They seemed to enjoy that and I smiled a little brighter this time, though Rio practically pushed me out of the way and I stumbled backwards. Rio smiled arrogantly to the people, waved and even winked to them. In the corner of my eye I saw Finnick roll his eyes and head towards the door. Mags waved at us to follow, but Rio was too busy and consumed with all of the attention to notice.

"Rio, we're leaving now." I put a hand on his arm.

He snapped back to attention and walked straight past me to the door. I couldn't believe that he was so eager.

Was that all that he wanted? Attention?

 _My mother secured my hair into a tight ponytail and tried to smile at me in the mirror._

" _Thank you, mom." I said and attempted to look cheery._

 _Of course she didn't believe my smile. I was scared too. It was the day of my first Reaping. I wore a smaller pale blue floral dress with brown ballet shoes, but my hair was still in a ponytail. I looked down at my shoes during the entire Reaping. I couldn't bear to look up._

 _The Tributes that year were a fifteen-year-old named Olive Perrin and a boy from my class called Conch Harksben._

 _I was sad to see him go. And never return._

 _I didn't talk a lot when I got home. I only tied knots to keep me distracted and to hide my nerves, still in shock and relieved that I wasn't reaped. My parents didn't push me to speak and just gave me extra seaweed bread._

The crowds outside were crazy, and Rio was soaking all of it up with pride. I felt really awkward and coward from anyone trying to touch me. A large cry from all of the women and some males sounded when Finnick and Mags exited the train. He seemed to take it as well as Rio did. Finnick smiled, winked, waved and practically everything else to get anyone's affections. I stared at him, and he looked like the Sun. Radiant and beautiful. Yet I couldn't stop picturing him looking like a chastised dog mere moments ago. Mags decided to smile and wave and nodded at me to do it too. With a deep breath I raised my hand and waved. The sound of the audience grew louder as Peacekeepers escorted us towards the city.


	3. Chapter 3

Rio and I were taken into the Remake Centre. I was made over for two hours. Considering District Four is a moderately well off District with decent supplies, my Prep Team didn't need to worry about 'remaking' all of me like they had to do with some other Districts.

"All of you District Fours smell like seawater." Charm, a member of my prep Team commented in her weird Capitol accent, whilst she lathered my hair with very expensive District One Shampoo. Charm wore the brightest red lipstick and eye shadow that I had ever seen. It complimented well with her kind grey eyes that smiled down at me on the table.

Living by the sea my entire life had made me immune to the scent of seawater. My hair had become permanently damaged and dry from all of the salt that had soaked in to it. Charm tugged at all of the small knots that had embedded themselves into my scalp. I gritted my teeth and screwed by eyes together from the pain.

"Well at least you don't have her calloused hands and chipped nails." Another member of my Prep Team, Tercius said, rubbing a whole tube of moisturiser into one of my hands. Like Charm his eyes were grey, but he decided to go for a simpler white hair with indigo highlights that curled down to his shoulders. It contrasted well against his dark blue skin.

"My goodness, deary," Tercius cooed. "What did you to get your hands in such bad condition?" I didn't know if the question was rhetorical but I decided to answer anyway.

"I make nets for a living." I said with my eyes still screwed up in pain.

"Oh I see," He answered with fake interest now moving on to fix my nails; like tying knots all day wasn't even seen as an optional career to them.

I still attended school, but in my spare time I either went to the beach or helped my mother make the nets for the fisherman. Over the years of tying knots, my hands have turned rough and leathery but still quick and steady in movement.

I also have never bothered to do my nails because they would only become chipped and broken again, but Tercius did a great job in making them look naturally smooth and perfect. Was there anything that the Capitol couldn't do?

"Lita, are you done with her feet?" Charm called to the other side of table. There was no reply. "Lita!" She called again, more firmly this time.

"Y-yes, Charm. I'm sorry."

Lying flat on my back I could only glance my eyes down at the girl at my feet. Lita was the youngest out of the three, looking in her early twenties. Her hair was a plethora of neon colours, with matching lip-gloss. Her eye shadow seemed outrageous for any Capitol inhabitant.

"Are you finished with the nails yet?" Tercius asked cocking one of his purple eyebrows.

"A-almost." Lita stuttered.

"Well hurry up! We don't want to keep Azula waiting." Charm cut in finishing up with my hair.

Lita gave a scared, quick nod and got back to doing her work. I had heard them talk about Azula a lot, about what she'd make of my 'gorgeous' brown hair or how last year the District Four female Tribute was nearly six foot and how different it would be to work with me. There was also a lot of complaining which I didn't want to repeat.

A few minutes later I was stood up and stripped completely naked. I flushed bright red and crossed my arms over my breasts with shame. My hair fell in front of my face and I peaked at Lita between the strands, she almost looked as embarrassed as I did. I assumed that this was her first time at this as well, whilst Charm and Tercius looked completely unfazed, removing the last bits of hair from my body.

I only imagined what my parents would have thought this they knew about this. My father would be in fits of hysterics and my mother probably would be stunned into silence.

With a clap of Charm's hands the other two removed themselves from my body and stood silently by her side. A pair of smooth hands gripped onto my arms and I glanced up to Charm's face. Once again her eyes were kind as she tucked my wet hair behind one of my ears but left my arms around my chest. I respected her more for doing that.

"You look beautiful. You don't need to hide it." Charm smiled to me.

I didn't necessarily wanted to believe her in my current situation, yet I smiled back and mouth a small 'thank you', which seemed to make her smile a lot bigger. Charm looked around forty, which meant that she was just a tad younger than my own mother. Through the thick layer of made up fakery I saw my own mother in her eyes and bit my lip to fight back tears. Charm nodded to me again and made her way to the exit, the other two following like lost puppies. Lita looked back at me one final time and waved a goodbye, I nodded in return and she left. The room was so white and clean that it made my stomach churn. All attention would be on my naked body; a thought that I wish that I had never considered.

A couple moments later a harsh looking angular faced Asian woman with cyan hair walked in and trained her attention on my face. With no introductions Azula began to stalk her way around my body, mumbling notes to herself like 'thin', 'weak chin' and 'tanned', the latter being normal for anyone of District Four. She occasionally lifted up my arm that I reluctantly removed from my body for her to inspect. Or she twirled my hair in her hand. However when she got to my hands an expression of disgust crossed her face and raised her dark eyes at me.

"A net maker I presume?" Her tone was flat and sounded expectant.

"Yes ma'am," I answered trying to sound polite.

A small smile blinked onto her face. "No need for formalities dear, you can just call me Azula." Her eyes went back to my hand. "I have been a designer for District Four for seven years and I have never seen hands so calloused." She sighed. "I guess gloves will have to do."

Azula let go of my hand and threw the robe over to me. She beckoned me with a finger to follow her into the next room. I was more than happy to slip the robe onto my body and I trailed her. The room was nicely lit and overlooked the Capitol. We sat in comfortable leather sofas that faced each other in the centre with a bare table in between us. Azula quickly scribbled something onto a hologram of a dress. I tried not to look, a little afraid of what I may see. After a couple minutes she was done. Azula closed the hologram and pressed a button at the side of the table. Food instantly appeared as the top split open and I raised my eyes, obviously impressed. The food was similar to the one on the train and at the sight of it my stomach growled.

"I have a few designs to discuss with you." Azula said, eager to get back down to business.

I picked up my fork and start prodding at a piece of steak on my plate.

"What are they?"

Four hours later I am dressed in a baby blue sleeveless silk dress. Multiple shades of blue and green ruffles ornamented the bottom representing the waves of the sea. The top of the dress was made out of sequins that changed from blue to green in certain lights. My lips were shaded teal. Purple swirls swamped my face, which I was told complimented my green eyes and tanned face perfectly. Connected at the bottom of the dress was see-through sheer fabric, cut into the shape of fins that attached to a ribbon around my wrists and folded out whenever I raised my arms. The fabric was stitched to the matching lace ruffled gloves, there to cover my ugly hands. Rio's outfit was similar, except for a dress he wore an open sequined vest and ruffled baby blue shorts with the same sheer fabric fins, yet without gloves. His designer probably wanted to show off as much as Rio as he could to have sponsors interested in him. I had no idea what Azula's plan was with me. We both were bare foot to keep the 'authenticity' of people not wearing shoes in a real ocean. Although we had the same makeup, I didn't mind it very much but Rio seemed slightly anxious about it. A guy like Rio would have looked good with fish skeletons draped around his crotch. I couldn't understand what bothered him so much.

The prep team did their last jobs on us whilst Azula and Rio's designer Ivo gossiped about the other tributes outfits, trying to stifle giggles and pointing like little children. They especially mocked the District 12 Tributes, who were only covered in coal dust. They looked utterly ashamed and a twinge of sympathy and anger surged through me like a sea current. The designers could have all of the fun that they liked. They weren't being sentenced to their deaths for the enjoyment of others.

"Lita!" Charm huffed loudly, which seemed to bring the designers back to us. She fiddled with my hair that was in a tight bun. "Damn it! She tied the knot too tight with her stupid stubby fingers," Charm kept on tugging at it but it wasn't budging.

"I can do it." I said reaching back behind my head.

"Don't you dare!" Azula gasped and I snapped my hands back down by my sides. "The fabric doesn't stretch that far. It'll rip."

"I can do it." I turned to see Finnick with one of Mags' arms looped through his, wearing a confident smile.

"I'd thought you'd be busy Odair," Rio commented with a look of slight disgust, "all the rich women are outside."

I couldn't believe what he had said. I was expecting Finnick to rip out his throat but he still looked just as smug.

"I am here by order, Ellwitt. It's mandatory for mentors to be with their tributes before the Parade." He unhooked himself from Mags and strode over to me. Every step closer he got my heartbeat quickened. He was inches from me and I just stared at his beautiful face, the soft curve of his lips. It seemed like forever until he cleared his throat ushering me to turn around. I turned and waited for his hands to grasp my hair. It was not what I expected. His hands are soft and gentle. It was the _real_ way to untie knots. Aggresion was the worst way to handle something as simple yet complicated as a knot. I tried not to turn red with the thought of _Finnick Odair_ with his hands in my hair.

It only took him a moment before my brown curly hair cascaded freely down my back. I even thought that I heard Finnick suck in a breath. I took a look over my shoulder but his expression was the same as before. I must have imagined it.

"Thanks," I said and smiled nervously at him. To my surprise he seemed to return it.

A few feet away I saw the other Careers giggling at me and feverishly whispering together. Like Rio, the boys were muscular. Yet both having dark brown hair, whilst the two girls looked nothing like me. They were both tall and flawless porcelain dolls with bright crimson and ice blond hair. They were glaring at me. Finnick seemed to see too and just cleared his throat. His expression returned back to his previous smug one.

"Any fool could have done it. I just happened to be here. No offence Charm." He said and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. She just rolled her eyes at him and fluffed up my hair a little more until the music started playing and the doors opened.

"Time to mount up kids," Finnick said. "Smile. Wave. Whatever you want to get the sponsors to favour you above everyone else." He shrugged and waved his hand in a dismissive manner at us. "Have fun." He added sarcastically for good measure but was quietly chastised by Mags. I chose to ignore his comment and stood in the chariot with Rio standing on my left. Our chariot finally moved and proceeded out of the doors. The crowd erupted at the sight of the Tributes and I raised my arm to wave with the fin waving in the breeze. Rio did the same and the crowd cried in appreciation of Azula's design. I spotted us in the large television screen and I smiled reassuringly to my parents back home, signalling to them at I was okay. I could only pray that they saw that, even though that it was so far from the truth.

At the continuing sound of the cheering crowds that echoed like roaring waves, I suddenly gained a burst of confidence. I began blowing kisses at a few individuals whilst Rio flexed his muscles. It was a big success and the crowd went crazy and actually started calling us by name.

"Go, Annie!"

"I love you, Rio!"

"Oh my gosh, Rio is so gorgeous."

"Spear me with your trident anytime Rio!" _Okay that was just said…_

I didn't really mind that people were cheering more for Rio than they were for me because I was hoping that people would associate us together and sponsor us both.

Finally at the City Circle, in front of President Snow's mansion, everyone was silenced as the music and the chariots grinded to a halt. At one point during Snow's welcoming speech the screen on the television cut to us. Rio winked to the camera. The crowd erupted again. I thought that it was some felony to interrupt the President so I just kept my gaze steady.

At the end of the ceremony the chariots were brought through the Training Centre. The doors closed and we were once again consumed with our prep teams, singing our praises about how well the crowds responded to us, but I knew that they mostly meant Rio. I was coming down from such an adrenaline rush that I started to shake. This caught Lita's eye and she let out an exaggerated breath for me to follow. I did so and the shaking slowly ceased. I nodded to her in appreciation and she gave me a thumb up in return.

One thought continued to swirl through my mind. I couldn't believe that I actually enjoyed one of the events leading up to my eminent death.

But I knew that the show wasn't over yet.

Not by a long shot.


	4. Chapter 4

To be honest, I thought that we were done with Lola Clementine after she escorted us to the Capitol, but I was wrong. Along with Mags and Finnick, she was to stay with us throughout the entire training period. After the Parade, all tributes were escorted to the Training Centre, the tallest building in the Capitol located behind President Snow's mansion. Each District had their own floor based on their number, so the journey to our apartment didn't take very long using the elevator. Lola hurried and shuffled Rio and me into an elevator with her whilst the designers travelled with their respective prep teams. Mags rode with Azula and my prep team due to Finnick's absence. I guessed that he couldn't wait to be rid of us and do what he really wanted to do whilst visiting the Capitol. It made my heart turn to cold and sink to the bottom of my stomach like a stone in the ocean.

The elevator ride was slightly awkward. With Rio and me standing to the sides and Lola standing in the middle, not taking her eyes off Rio and praising him for his show during the Parade.

"The muscle flexing was pure _genius_!" Lola commented holding onto his chiselled arm. Rio seemed to enjoy it whilst I stayed silent and watched. Lola was wearing the same outfit that she wore on the train, a cream coloured bouffant gown, imprinted with lace and vibrant pink ribbons. Her hair was in curly silver pigtails with matching makeup and vibrant pink false eyelashes. I thought she looked lovely, though the overpowering stench of lavender perfume was rather off putting. If I had to guess, I would say that she was maybe mid-twenties. I couldn't imagine that her job was very exciting; read names, escort Tributes and if they lose, do it all again. Flirting was probably a way for her to make her job bearable and put a genuine smile on her face, rather than a compulsory fake one. She probably couldn't be like Finnick and go off as she pleased and seek the company of any rich Capitol inhabitant that she wanted.

 _I couldn't stop myself from smiling when Finnick was crowned the winter of the 65_ _th_ _Hunger Games. However it was removed when he was interviewed by_ _Caesar Flickerman and was accompani_ ed _by_ _beautiful Capitol woman. Sh_ e _was draped on his arm, beaming like the luckiest woman in the world. I daz_ _ed_ _with shock at how happy he looked too. A young boy with an_ _older woman looking consumed with him and she with a Victor. I could see why they both looked so elated._  
 _From that moment I tried hard not to watch his further exploits and interviews and made more nets than I ever had in my life. It worked for a few months but I couldn't stop watching. It was completely delusional but I couldn't stop._

Arriving at the glamorous apartment Lola instructed us to get comfortable. My bedroom was more extravagant than I would have ever imagined as everything had a certain expensive glow about them with soft edges and shiny surfaces. Just like the Capitol buildings my bathroom had a sterile clean with more buttons and switches for things that I had any idea what to do with. I simply cleaned myself of the makeup on my face. I delicately removed myself from my costume as to not wake the wrath of Azula and programmed my wardrobe to give me an outfit of a green tank top and black trousers. I had never really been a big fan of shoes.

I was the last to enter the Dining Room. Azula and Ivo sat with their heads bent over another hologram sketchpad, her brow furrowed in concentration, probably discussing matching outfit ideas for the interview. On the other end of the table, Mags held a napkin up to Rio's face to remove a little spot of makeup that he had missed. Rio didn't look very pleased but I couldn't help but smile at them. To me, he looked like a small child being babied by his grandmother; I thought it was kind of cute and homely. Mags greeted me as I walked in and sat opposite Rio who smiled at me in acknowledgement. For the first time entering the Capitol I felt at ease.

For dinner we were given a Distrcit Four delicacy, Marinated Swordfish with lemon sauce and salad. It was too expensive to buy on a daily basis but I would always have it on my parent's anniversary. The food was delicious and the silent servants of our apartment constantly offered wine to us, every time I refused they just disappeared back to the corner of the room, awaiting more orders. Mags called them Avoxes, people that committed crimes against the laws of Panem to get their tongues cut out. The idea was barbaric to me and suddenly I wasn't hungry anymore. Rio just carried on eating like it was not shocking to him. Mags pushed me to eat a little more. I finished my plate, but the food was an unwelcomed weight in the pit of my stomach.

Late into the night I couldn't sleep. The air was just too still and the double bed was too large for me. I drank three glasses of milk with no prevail to put my mind at ease about the three day training sessions ahead. I thought that a walk would clear my head. The atmosphere of the apartment was still as I tiptoed quietly around the halls and sat in the main living area. I kept all of the lights off except for a small side lamp that I used for me to see the knots that I was tying and untying on my bracelet to help calm my nerves. Ten minutes passed and I didn't feel any better than before. That was when I heard the footsteps. Finnick strode into the hall, and unlike me, it was almost like he was trying to wake everyone up. His green eyes glanced at the light, then at me and practically jumped right out of his skin.

"Annie!" He exclaimed, surprised to see me. His shirt was crinkled, with it tucked carelessly into his trousers and his bronze hair was dishevelled. I didn't want to think about what he was doing during dinner. Though I didn't want to think, I couldn't stop and continued to work on the knots.

"W-what are you doing up so late?" He asked, obviously confused and slightly embarrassed that I caught him coming back. I knew not to question him on it.

"I couldn't sleep," I answered, focusing on my knot tying. Finnick continued to stare at me with a thoughtful. I wanted to know what he was thinking.

"Wait here," he said and disappeared down the hall. Finnick returned with a small black oval shaped object in his hand. "Here," He said placing it into my hands, making me drop the rope in my lap. I had no idea what to do and stared at it like an idiot. He chuckled slightly and pressed the top of it. A silver thumbprint was left behind and slowly faded away as the familiar sounds of the ocean started playing. My eyes glowed with happiness and a smile eased onto both of our faces.

"Where did you get this?" I asked looking away from the stone into Finnick's eyes. He shrugged and came to sit next to me. In the small amount of light, I could see the dark rings below his eyes and the creases in his forehead. Yet his sea-green eyes didn't lose their bright colour. It made him look so much older than nineteen. I guessed that that was what the Games did to people.

"Mags gave it to me when I was Tribute." He laughed curtly and then frowned. "I know that you used to-I mean you live near the ocean. Suddenly not listening to it at night kind of threw off my sleep pattern too."

"Did you use this as your token?"

"That would have been the perfect way to die." He replied smugly, but based on my down casted eyes in embarrassment he stopped and reached into his shirt, pulling out a necklace. It was a black thread with a piece of emerald green sea glass attached to it.

"Who gave you that?"

"It's not important," replied with a shrugged and looked down to my lap. "Is that yours?"

I looked down at the net and nodded shyly, picking it up in my hands, knotting and unknotting it again.

"Why do you always do that?" He asked nodding his head to the net. "I mean I know that you tied-uh tie nets for a living but…why do you always do it?"

"It help calms my nerves and keeps my mind occupied from bad things." My answer was quite plain and simple but Finnick replied with a thoughtful expression.

"I should probably try that sometime."

There was more than just a moment of us being silent, apart from the sound of the ocean.

That answer confused me slightly because he was a Victor. He had all that he could ever want, money, jewels, women, love and a certain future. At that moment I had nothing going for me apart from a _four per cent_ chance of being alive at the end of the week. The thought made me shake and want to block everything out my covering my ears with my hands. I also thought that I was going to start crying. I tapped the stone again and we were both left in official silence.

"Thanks for the um-"

 _What was it? A gift? I had no idea._

"The you know. It was very thoughtful of you. I think I am going to turn in for the night." I stood back up and went to turn out the light.

"Can you leave it on?" I turned to Finnick and was surprised by the vulnerable tone of his voice and the sullen look on his face that he gave me from under his eyebrows. My heart restricted slightly.

"Um, sure." I retracted my hand from the light and stalked to the door. I turned back to see Finnick with his elbows on his knees with his face in his hands. All that I wanted to do was rush back and collect him in my arms and put him back together, but I had no idea what needed fixing.

"Goodnight, Finnick."

He rubbed his face with his hands and looked back at me, a pathetic fake smile on his face.

"Goodnight, Annie."

I smiled back and walked to my room. Once in bed I tapped the stone and with the sound of crashing waves in the background I slowly drifted to sleep, a tearstain soaking into my pillow.


	5. Chapter 5

_The water is cold and merciless. It strangles my lungs and stings my eyes. So disorientating that I lose all of my senses. I sink lower into darkness and I am unable to move. I gaze in weird wonder as the water silks its way through my hands, sending blood tingling shivers up my spine._

 _Above the water, a pair of sea-green eyes stare down at me and I recognize them immediately, I breathe in to gasp but the water gives me an unwelcomed kiss, leaving no dry space. I try to move but I continue sinking, pleading with my eyes for him to save me, but he just stands and stares._

 _Can't he see that I am drowning?_

I gasped and bolted myself into a sitting position, rubbing my hands over by body to check if it was dry. It was, apart from my face that was wet with tears as was my pillow. As my breathing slowed I tried to recollect where I was. At first I thought that I was at home because of the sound of the ocean, but I realised that it was Finnick's stone that was still making the noise. I peered out of the window and I guessed that it was just passed dawn, I turned the stone off and flipped my pillow over to hide the wet side. I hopped out of bed and headed to the bathroom. I turned my shower to boiling hot to rid my head of the nightmare. I had never had a nightmare about the ocean or even dreamt about Finnick. I just had to clear my head, and a scolding shower perfect for that.

I walked into the dining hall, rubbing my eyes and salivating from the smell of the delicious food. I was served my breakfast by a female Avox of porridge, syrup and chocolate chips and sat down next to Rio on the large table. Once again we were wearing the same outfits for training, black lycra leggings with a gold stripe down the side, a plain black cotton t-shirt with a large gold number four on the back and black combat boots. The boys didn't notice me as I sat down because they were too busy demonstrating the best techniques to stab someone with a spear or trident and practicing on each other with spoons. He seemed to be in a much better mood than last night. I smiled at his cheeky grin, prodding Rio with every strike and getting none in return.

"Boys," I heard a kind voice say next to me as Mags sat opposite me, her plate full of fruit.

I laughed as a reply. "Yeah, I know." I didn't actually. Not really.

With one final jab from Finnick in Rio's stomach the boys laughed and went back to their breakfast. Finnick greeted Mags good morning and noticed me in the process. His eyes shifted towards mine.

"Morning, Annie," Finnick said in a slightly deflated manner.

"Morning, Finnick." I tried to say with the same lack of enthusiasm as he did to me,

, yet I couldn't stop smiling looking at his eyes. I was completely fooling myself. I would just be a 70th Hunger Games tribute to him, and a dead one at that.

"How did you sleep last night?" He asked.

"Good thank you," I replied and went back to my food.

"Good." I heard him say, but in front of me I saw Mags with a mischievous smile on her face.

 _Why?_

"Annie I-" Finnick tried to continue.

"So Finnick. Annie and I have come up with a plan of action," Rio announced with a proud grin.

 _What?_

"Really?" The rest of us said together and I felt a slight kick under the table.

"Well, we would train separately. I would have Finnick and Annie would have Mags." Rio paused to stuff a piece of muffin in his mouth and we all looked at his thoughtfully. "Finnick can teach me the best fighting strategies whilst Mags can teach any about fish hooks and stuff."

"Fish hooks and stuff?" Mags asked in quite a negative tone.

"Well, that means that we can ally together and survive until the end."

"What about during training at the centre?" Finnick asked, searching Rio's face.

"Roughly the same plan," Rio replied. "Apart from the compulsory exercises of course." He smiled smugly, obviously pleased with his plan.

"I think it would be best if Annie learnt a skill. One to show the sponsors," Mags said.

"Yeah, and what if we get split up? I'd have to defend myself before we find each other again." I said, trying to keep my creeping panic at bay.

"She's got a point Rio," Finnick said, nonchalantly jabbing at a sausage with his fork. "It's a clever concept but you should learn some survival skills too. It could be the difference between life and death."

"Or I could just be like you and score high in the private training sessions, impress the sponsors, get supplies, kill people and live in paradise."

His confidence was so high. _How?_

"Well, if it's paradise you're looking for, you should get the hell out of Panem," Finnick replied bluntly, getting out of his chair and stalking away. Mags sighed, excused herself and took off after him, leaving Rio and me in silence.

"What d'you think Annie?" I turned to Rio and I saw the excitement in his eyes. There was so much to consider. You could tell that he probably a great fighter just by looking at his muscular physique, but he was also quite arrogant I guessed the type to rush into things without thinking. And there was no way that I would be able to survive on my own, the tributes were already laughing at me.

 _What the hell. It's not like I'm going to win anyway._

"Let's do it." I agreed and we shook hands. "But I will at least learn one skill…to defend myself."

"Deal." Rio grinned, and I smiled back.

We got down to the training area at 9:45 where most of the tributes were already. They were wearing the same thing as us, except with their own tribute numbers on the back. There were a few stragglers but Districts One and Two were sticking together, obviously their alliance was formed instantly. I felt a nudge at my elbow, it was Rio, glaring at the Careers.

"We don't need them Annie. They all just turn on each other in the end anyway."

I stared at him for a few moments. _I_ sn't _that what we're going to do if we are the last two?_

I just nodded and leaned up against the wall, waiting for all of the other tributes to show up. When they did we all joined together in a circle, the Head Trainer Kellis began talking to us about our training methods. I didn't listen because I was too busy glancing between the other tributes, and they were all doing the same, no one took more of a second to look at me, except for the other Careers who I believed were imagining the ways that they were going to kill me. When I caught eyes with the crimson haired girl I turned my attention to the ground, letting my messy hair fall in my face. I didn't bother tying my hair up, it wasn't like I was expecting to do much anyway.

The two training days were a blur. Apart from the compulsory exercises I mainly focused on learning how to identify berries and making snares and shelters, sometimes Rio joined me, but most of the time he was training and fighting with one of the training staff. I hardly noticed the Gamemakers when they came and they mostly focused on the other Careers and Rio, showing off to try and scare the other tributes. This strategy actually worked because they stayed out of their way. Much to the Careers pleasure. I went to the knife throwing station and learnt how to throw knives, which I was actually better at than Rio. Every time I got one on target a crease would form in his forehead and his throws would get a lot more hectic than before.

"We can't be good at everything and one, Rio," I said when he missed his last target.

"Yeah but everything and two is in the arena, Annie," Rio replied with a serious expression on his face.

"That's why us splitting up the skills is easier?"

"Exactly." Rio smiled.

After lunch at the bow and arrow station I thought that I was alone, until the girls from Districts One and Two turned up. The crimson haired one, named Satin, had intense brown eyes and was from District One Satin who looked bitchier than the ice blonde one who just looked menacing. She was called Maeve, with pale skin and forest green eyes. In the video of her Reaping, they zoomed in on her parent's proud faces and they had dark hair and skin so I had to assume that she had albinism. I suspected that they were either seventeen or eighteen.

"Annie, right? District Four." Satin asked.

I nodded meekly, lowering my bow.

"It's so lucky that you having Finnick Odair as your mentor," Maeve commented and began to giggle along with Satin. It was probably because I was blushing. "We saw the way that you looked at him before the opening ceremony. It was soo cute," She mocked. Her glare was as sharp as daggers.

"It's such a shame you will never see him again after you leave for the Games. But I guess that you don't see him much due to him always being with his girlfriends." It was a double team of insults. I realised it worked just as well as their fighting skills. I had to ignore them.

I raised my bow back up and faced the target, facing away from the girls.

"Oh you didn't know." Maeve pretended to act shocked.

"Of course I knew," I replied bluntly, with my eyes on the target about to shoot.

"Just don't call out his name when we will kill you. That would just be embarrassing if he is too 'occupied' to hear it." The girls giggled.

That last comment broke my concentration and the arrow went completely off target into the sideboard, which sent them into fits of laughter.

"Victor of quickest death in Hunger Games history. Annie Cresta," Satin mocked. The two girls laughed again and strutted away.

 _Don't let them get to you. Don't let anyone see you cry._

I wiped my eye wish my shoulder and set up to shoot again. The arrow still went off target. Apparently shooting wasn't my strength.

At breakfast on the second day of training, Finnick and Mags decided for us to have private training sessions right when we get back from the Training Centre. Back on the District Four floor, Finnick and Mags were waiting for us, with Mags sitting on a couch and Finnick pacing in the middle of the room. Rio and I looked at each other and shrugged, I tried to take my place with Mags before Finnick placed a hand on my shoulder and stopped me in my tracks.

"Mags thought that it would better if we train together," He told me in a low voice.

"Oh, okay." I replied as Finnick lead me out of the room. I turned back to see Rio reluctantly sit next to Mags and she raised her eyebrows at me.

The room we were in had low lighting and all of the furniture was pushed to the walls. It was also linked to a balcony that overlooked the glittering Capitol. I stared out into the horizon, trying to envision District Four.

"No point in trying to escape," Finnick said matter-of-factly. I turned back towards him looking confused. "There is a force field set around this entire building." He grinned whilst stretching his arms. "Three tributes tried to run away during the first ever Games." He started to laugh and expected me to laugh too, but my face was filled with disgust.

"You think that's funny?" I asked and he replied with a shrugged. I knew that it was best just to drop it. "So what are we doing?"

"I'm teaching you how to fight," he said cracking his knuckles.

"I thought you were going to teach Rio."

"But I don't trust him. It's probably just me but you should be prepared."

"I thought it was Mags' idea."

"I never said that I didn't agree with her." He held his hands out with his palms to me with a serious expression. "Hit me."

"What?"

"Come on."

I breathed in deep and threw a wild right punch to his left hand and cracked my knuckles. I gasped and shook my hand from the pain. Finnick raised his eyebrows at me with an expression of disbelief.

"I can't believe we are from the same District." He laughed. His his face fell flat the moment I began turning towards the door with tears brimming in my eyes.

"Hey, wait!" He called grabbing my hand, twirling me around to face him. "I'm sorry. You're just…different from the…other girls I know." He looked so sincere, but I couldn't help but reply three words in my head.

 _The other girls._

Potentially too different to stay alive.

"What do you mean?" I questioned, my voice was hushed. My gaze with directed towards his. Finnick swallowed. Suddenly his face changed to a shocked expression, like he just processed what he said for the first time. When he saw his hand on mine, he dropped it like it burnt him and turned to pace backwards. Whilst he was distracted I swiped the stray tear away from my eye.

"It doesn't matter." He shook his head and put his hands back up. "Hit me again." I punched his hand again with my left one and it didn't seem to hurt any less. "You need to clench your fist tighter," He said reaching for my hand but quickly drew it away. "S-so it doesn't break when it hits something."

I nodded, followed his instruction and tried again.

An hour later I learned how to uppercut and throw hooks and by then I was beat. I stepped out onto the balcony and rubbed my aching hands.

"You okay?" He said appearing next to me with two glasses of ice-cold water, offering one to me.

"Thank you," I said and gently procured it from his hand and took a big swig. We both stood in silence as we stared at the setting sun. It gave me time to process everything. Somehow someone being beside me made it easier. A form of relief, knowing that I wasn't alone.

"Were you nervous Finnick?"

"Huh?" He said turning to me. "Of what?"

"Of the other tributes," I said, looking at the glass in my hands. "Were you scared of them? Because, you were only fourteen and yet you still managed to kill them. So I was just wondering-"

"Yes." He answered flatly, staring out again. "Most of them didn't mess with me because they were in the same position that I was in, or because I was a Career. But some used to glare at me to try and put me off from what I was doing, and sometimes it worked."

I thought back to the Careers. And Satin and Maeve's teasing.

"What did you do?" I asked, turning my attention to his cold expression.

There was a short pause.

"I killed them. More brutally than the others."

"Oh," I breathed as my only reply and looked down again.

"Hey," he said softly and tilted my head towards him. "I know you aren't a fighter Annie Cresta. But just like with the nets you made back in Four, if you put enough of your heart into something it turns out great. "Just remember that in the Arena." His eyes were searching every single millimetre of my face and I was transfixed

"How do you know about my nets?" I uttered in disbelief.

He grinned. "It's not like us fishermen were going to catch fish in our pockets, Annie, that's just absurd," he said, flashing a pure boyish smile. It was so familiar to the one he had as a boy. This time I smiled in return.

" _Annie!" My mother called from the front room of the shop. "Do you have those nets that we made earlier?"  
"Which ones?" I called back, taking my attention away from the trickiest net that could ever be made. Considering I was only nine it was pretty impressive, even though I had been working on it for three days._

" _The ones with the smallest holes," she replied. I grabbed the box from my left and brought them through. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the customers. A well-built man with a bushy beard and a kind smile. Next to him was a boy with sea-green eyes. I held in a fearful squeal._

" _Here you go." I said as I passed my mother the box and disappeared into the back room as quickly as I could, not even acknowledging him._

" _She's just shy." Mother said. That wasn't entirely true. I was just shy around him._

We were silent. Finnick was still holding up my face and both of us were staring into each other's green eyes. I had only truly realised at that moment that his eyes were clouded in secrecy and something almost heavy for him to bear. Just as before, Finnick took a look out towards the Capitol and dropped my face. I didn't stop looking though. He chugged down the rest of his water and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"We should probably go eat," He said looking away from my face and stepping towards the door.

"Yeah. Sure." I answered, trying to not look too deflated. From the corner of my eye I saw him look around out of the balcony and shake his head disapprovingly.

 _What is up with him?_


	6. Chapter 6

On the final day of training, all of the tributes were being picked off by the Sponsors to go to their private sessions. The tension was obviously very high and so palpable that even a sword couldn't carve it. However, at lunch, this was the first time that Rio and I talked about our _real_ strategy for the Games, rather than just eating in silence. I was usually slow at eating the food we were given. Rio devoured it, probably to feed the muscles rippling under his tight training shirt. I had seen the glances not only from the Sponsors.

"I was planning," Rio began, "that when the Games begin you run and grab a backpack whilst I grab the weapons and we can go from there." Rio pointed a District Four roll in my face, whilst holding another uneaten one in his other hand. The unnerved look of determination and certainty on his face made the plan seem flawless, even though that it was completely insane.

By the time that we agreed, the Gamemakers had just called Speck Chrommel, the District Three Tribute with copper coloured pigtail braids for her private session. She took a quick peak at me but swiftly turned away and walked faster when she noticed Rio. He didn't seem to notice, as he was tearing into his second bread roll. I knew that there was some time to kill, depending on how good she would be.

"Do you have a strategy for your private session?" I asked popping a piece of District Eleven's moon roll in my mouth. Rio flashed a self-assured smile.

"I guess you will just have to wait for the scores, Cresta."

I sat back in my seat and rolled my eyes. "Oh come _on_." I feign moaned flicking a piece of bread at his face. We both laughed. "It's not like I can copy what you can do anyway," I admitted. My tone was light, masking my honesty and my fear.

Rio responded with a shrug and his confident smile contorted itself into a friendlier one. I smiled back. I didn't think that it was right to call Rio a _friend_ , but in my eyes he was more than just an ally, but there is no word in between so I just stuck with ally. I just hoped in that moment that our plan was good enough to succeed. At least for the first hour.

"What are you doing for your private session?" He asked, dabbing seaweed crumbs off the table with his fingers and poking them into his mouth. I decided to give him the same treatment and just shrugged.

"Wait for the scores, Ellwitt." I smirked and he crossed his arms over his chest.

A minute later Rio's name was called. He took one last glance at me and leapt out of his chair.

"Good luck!" I called to him. The corner of Rio's mouth twitched back at me and he strode out of the cafeteria, looking as confident and poised as ever. The remaining tributes didn't dare to turn around at my loudness. We were the last of the Careers. The biggest threats. Well, for Rio anyway. I guessed that that he put himself on show to display how much confidence he had in himself to win in order to scare the other tributes, and it could have worked if anyone was paying attention. But there was still one question that remained.

 _What the hell am I going to show them?_

I sat there in my chair, alone for the next five minutes pondering my choices and rubbing my sweaty hands together, working out strategies. If I was to get a high score, then the others would see me as a threat and try to kill me first. However, if I was to get a low score, the Sponsors wouldn't see me as worthy for their money and won't send me any gifts and I'd die anyway, even with Rio as my ally. It made me pull my hair in frustration and want to scream my lungs out.

"Annie Cresta." The Gamemaker called. Out of time. I slowly rose out of my seat, trying but failing to walk out with the same sureness as Rio did. I guessed that my shaky hands gave away how nervous I was.

Before entering the room, I inhaled a deep breath and stepped through the door. The Sponsors sat on a balcony that overlooked the gymnasium. A perk of being in a low number district was that they hadn't had too much to drink at that point, and were still a tad interested in seeing the rest of the tributes. With no plan in mind I tried to look around the gymnasium for inspiration, but the overwhelming number of choices didn't make it any easier, so I unfortunately turned to the Sponsors.

"Annie Cresta. I'm from District Four." I said, setting my gaze upwards at them, announcing my presence.

Confidence. Confidence.

The Sponsors were all different but exactly the same in the ridiculously absurd and expensive outfits that they wore. However, there was this female Sponsor with gold hair and seriously exaggerated light green makeup. It made me think of Finnick, and thinking of Finnick gave me an idea.

I got some thick rope and quickly tied a twitch-up snare that would send its prey into the air when triggered. I grabbed a surprisingly heavy mannequin and hauled it along the floor. I checked over my shoulders to the Sponsors and I could tell that they were slowly losing interest in me. I knew that I had to work faster. With one final push the mannequin was sent into the air by one foot caught in the snare. It dangled like a dead animal, I looked back and only two were paying attention. I swiped three throwing knives from the table and cut the rope. The mannequin fell. With three swift movements I threw the knives at it. Impaling it every single time. The mannequin broke on the ground with an echoing sound that caught the attention of the previously distracted Sponsors. The mannequin's limbs were distorted, its head cracked open with knives sticking out of its shoulder, stomach and thigh. They weren't immediate death shots but I was still impressed with myself that I actually hit the thing. With nothing left in my hands and clearly with no other plan they decided to dismiss me. I bowed my head, thanked them and headed out the gymnasium whilst rubbing my sweaty hand on my trousers.

Time moved so slowly as I headed back to the apartment. I recalled every single detail of my private session, wondering what I could have done better, or if it was enough even for a gift of a slice of bread. To outsiders, I was obviously in a trance. Maybe I was. My mind would not stop churning.

Back at the apartment I walked in on Rio in the living room, giving some sort of demonstration about how he used special sword techniques to Mags, Finnick and Lola. He showed them large thrashing movements and cheesy sword sound effects. He was obviously pleased with himself. From the look that Lola was giving him, I could tell that she was just as impressed. However, Rio instantly stopped when he saw me standing in the doorway. The other three turned to me and smiled.

"How did it go-o," Lola sang, clapping her excessively jewelled hands. "I want to hear details."

Deciding to not be secretive and to hopefully stop the replaying memories, I sat next to Lola and told them what I did. When I finished I looked around the room for their reactions, Lola thoughtfully nodded, Rio looked deep in concentration and Finnick looked pleased and rubbed a hand over his face. It seemed like he was attempting to wipe away his expression off his face. He succeeded and his neutral countenance returned.

"That sounds great, Annie," Mags replied, beaming. "It showed your practical and survival skills whilst also showing your fighting skills." The sincerity was there. I was so grateful for Mags. I gave a shy but happy smile in return and Lola nodded her head in agreement, obviously not knowing what Mags or I were talking about.

"It's too bad you didn't get any kill shots in." Rio added, looking from under his brow and shrugged.

"At least that it's more…original than doing what probably both the District One and Two boys did." Finnick surprisingly shot back, staring down Rio who just glared back at him.

"Finnick." Mags said in a hushed but stern tone.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"I think I'm going to lie down for a while," Rio said dully and sullenly exited the room. Lola's smile dimmed under her copper lipstick. Mags took one last look at Finnick and followed Rio. Leaving just me, Lola and Finnick, until there was a knock at the door.

"Oh," Lola exclaimed, with her smile returning. "That must be Azula, Ivo and the Prep Teams." She looked to us for the equivalent of her enthusiasm. She wasn't so lucky. In a playful manner, she dismissed us with a wave. In her skyscraper heels, Lola flittered out of the room, many bells on her dress jingling as she exited.

"So," Finnick said, sliding over on the couch to sit next to me, his leg brushing up against mine.

"So what?" I said, crossing my legs in an attempt to reduce the blush on my face and my rapid heartbeat. Our eyes were averting each other.

"I have to say that your originality is lacking but," Finnick said and bobbed his head from side to side in fake thought, "it seemed like a good show." Obviously he was referring to himself and what he did in his Games, and even though that I tweaked his idea slightly; Finnick more than most people could see that I copied him.

"We all can't be the great and famous Finnick Odair. We need to get our inspiration from somewhere." I replied in a dull tone, imagining what he could be thinking of me right now. I shrugged and there was a silence between us.

"Look, Annie I-" Finnick began before a delicate pair of hands landed on our shoulders.

"Dinner is served, you two." Lola grinned and made her way to the dining room.

"What were you going to say to me, Finnick?" I aksed. His eyes flicked to mine and he stalked off towards the sleeping area. My chest felt like it was draining dry.

"I'll go get Mags and Rio," he shouted to Lola who just shooed him away. I sat there stunned until Azula called me to sit next to her and talk over some outfit plans for the interview. I sighed and drew my eyes away from Finnick's retreating silhouette. I headed to the dining room.

After dinner the scores were to be presented, and we all sat nervously in the living room, waiting for the televising to start. It was Caesar Flickerman, the host of the interviews that read them out every year and like every year he changed his hair colour, this year it was a very bright canary yellow. The scores went up in District order so the Careers' would be announced first. Satin and her District partner, Atlas scoring impressive tens, with Maeve's District partner also scoring a ten. However, Maeve herself scoring a nine. I knew that she was going to be heartily pissed off by that. Next there was Speck and her district partner that scored a six and a five. I gripped the chair with fearful anticipation of both mine _and_ Rio's score.

"Now onto District Four," Caesar began, "Rio Ellwitt, has a score of ten."

I sighed in relief. There was a cheer throughout our entire team, but it was quickly silenced by Mags as Caesar was about to read out my score.

"Annie Cresta, with a score of nine." I breathed out another sigh of relief and zoned out of hearing the other tribute scores. Since I received the same score as Maeve. I hoped that maybe, the Careers would see me as less as a meal.

 _But what if she gets angry that you got the same score as her and make her want to bludgeon your head with the mace that she always trained with?_

I gulped at the thought and I went a pale white.

"Are you alright, Annie?" I quickly turned to see Mags with her hand on my shoulder, which made me feel a lot better.

"I-I'm fine." I half-lied. I tried to smile reassuringly, but wobbling as I stood up. I held the end of the couch and swallowed.

"Excuse me," I said and walked out of the living room.

I was on the balcony and expected Mags to be the one to find me. It was Finnick.

"I thought that I'd find you in here." He chuckled and ended up standing next to me on the balcony, keeping quite a bit of distance between us. He copied my stance and crossed his arms over the edge. We stood in silence for a few moments. For the first time, that was perfectly fine by me.

"You okay?" Finnick asked, looking slightly concerned.

I nodded, but with the look of disbelief on his face I shook my head.

"What's up?" He asked, leaning closer to me.

I took a deep breath and told him about Maeve and Satin's teasing, but excluding the parts with him in it. He actually seemed like he cared with what I was saying and nodded whenever I admitted how I felt. Scared. Disheartened. But right in that moment I felt so pathetic. Maybe I would always be the scared girl he truly met on the train.

"This doesn't make you weak, Annie," Finnick replied, seemingly to read my mind. He edged himself closer to me. My heart was becoming restless. "Just don't let them get to you. No one can prepare for what's in the Games, so they will be just as clueless as you will be." He widened his eyes after just processing what he just said and put his face in his hands, and I think that I saw a little red. "Oh God. I didn't mean that Annie. What I-"

"It's okay." I cut him off, looking down at my shoes and shrugged. From the corner of my eye, I noticed that he was still looking at me. Exploring my expression. I slowly lifted my head back up. "Besides, you got a nine in your private session and look at you now." I smiled at him, appreciative for helping me and not calling me a weakling. A beautiful fragile smile moulded onto his tanned face, but not at me, towards the Capitol.

"Look at me now," he repeated slowly to himself. His hand was so close to mine. All I wanted to do was hold it. Suddenly, a rasp of a knock on the door and Lola poked her head through. The shock broke us apart.

"Come through, you two. We are celebrating!" She sang and waited for us to follow her.

We walked back side by side in silence, with Finnick and I stealing at least one glance at each other. Not ever at the same time. But not unnoticed.

The celebrations were short as Rio and I had a long day of interview preparations the day after. Finnick and I attempted to avoid direct eye contact of each other. Our stolen glances seemed illegal, yet almost right.


	7. Chapter 7

"Up straight." Lola commanded pushing up my back. "Chin up and smile," she said with a blinding grin as she made her way to the other side of my bedroom. "Now walk."

I took a deep breath and walked with a forced yet cheery smile on my face towards her, whose face seemed to glow brighter with every step that I took.

"Marvellous, Annie. Absolutely marvellous." Lola let out a sigh of relief. "I think we have it." She checked the practically illegible clock that was imbedded into one of her many pearl bracelets. "It only took two hours."

My shoulders slumped in relaxation and I hobbled to the bed. I took off the bright orange skyscraper heels, fell back onto the soft covers and rubbed my sore feet.

"Oh Annie, I am so excited to see your interview," Lola chimed, sitting on the end of the bed and patted my leg. "I think you will do great."

"I hope so," I said. "But they will probably have to wheel me on the stage." I huffed and rested on my elbows, looking directly at Lola's reassuring smile. "It only took Rio twenty minutes to get his walk down and he _already_ has the confident smile going for him."

"That was why I sent him away early to work with Finnick and Mags on interview strategy," she replied. I sighed glumly and glanced at the token on my wrist. "Annie, the Gamemakers gave you a _nine_. That's a big enough reason for the sponsors to already like you." She squeezed my leg. "And Mags, Finnick, Azula and Ivo will be there for support."

I smiled back to her. Through the peacock feather eyelashes, I noticed that one of her eyes were blue and the other was brown. It was because they were usually both brown.

"Are you wearing a blue contact Lola?" I asked. "Is that some new Capitol fashion trend or something?" I gave a small laugh but instantly silenced myself when I saw the frown on her face.

"No. I wasn't going out until the interviews so I decided to leave it until later." Lola's tone was dead. Highly unlike her. I almost felt uncomfortable with how serious she was being for once.

There was a short pause.

"Imperfection isn't desirable in the Capitol." Lola began. "It's best to fix the broken things before the seeing eyes can heavy the burden." I swallowed something heavy in my throat. Lola rose from the bed and patted down her green metallic layered dress, her mismatched eyes distant in sad contemplation. "I'll go tell Finnick and Mags that you are ready." Lola walked out of the door and left me in silence.

 _Is being perfect considered an angle?_

"So, Annie. What do you think of the Capitol?"

"Well, I think that it is great with, um-" I exhaled and Finnick pinched the bridge between his eyes, obviously frustrated.

"I'm sorry Finnick, but the 'confident and alluring mermaid' angle that you described doesn't work for me," I admitted and fiddled with the rope on my wrist. "I feel more like a fish out of water." That was actually very true.

"It has to work," he retorted. "It's worked for the past four years." Finnick ran a hand through his copper hair. I tried so hard to not roll my eyes.

 _Yeah, and look where they have ended up._

"Finnick," Mags said. We both looked to where she was sitting in an armchair a few feet away from us. "Most of those other girls volunteered and had a confident and almost cocky attitude about them, which clearly did no favours." Mags placed down the tea she was drinking and moved to stand behind Finnick. She pointed his shoulders towards me, which moved his face along with them. "What do you see when you look at Annie?" Her tone was as soft as the sea waves in the early morning.

Finnick brushed his eyes over me like he did on the train, but this time there was no look of judgement but nervousness in his eyes that was in some way more disarming. His gaze on my body made a slight blush creep on my face. I looked away and prayed for my face to cool. After a short while he just looked down shook his head.

"I-I don't know, Mags," Finnick mumbled.

"I see a naturally beautiful, sweet girl and that shouldn't be covered up by some cheap charade." Mags smiled to me, which helped to bring my attention back to Finnick. Mags gripped onto his shoulders tighter. "Don't you agree, Finnick?"

Finnick gave another and almost inconspicuous look over me and swallowed hard enough for me to see his adam's apple move in his throat. A shy smile grew on his face.

"Yeah," he replied simply.

I grinned back to him but he looked to the floor and ran a hand through his already scruffy hair, a way for him to gain his confidence back. He locked eyes with mine and shrugged in a disinterested manner. "Sure, why not?" Finnick said. "Let's make the good girl persona a thing." He cleared his throat and sucked in a breath. "So, Annie. What do you think of the Capitol?"

This time I was ready. I grinned and opened my mouth to reply.

I noticed a slight grin on Azula's face when I stuck out my hands towards to her, expecting gloves to be put on my calloused hands. After adjusting the last glove on my hand, she was finally finished.

"I believe she's done." Azula gleamed and with the go ahead from my prep team she stepped away from the full-length mirror, exposing me to my reflection.

My outfit for the interview was a knee-length, strapless and sea green dress. The colour matched my eyes perfectly. A layer of wave patterned white lace covered the green silk base and a long lace right sleeve finished off the dress. I was wearing short gold taffeta gloves with complementary heels. I was surprised to find that I looked elegant. My getup for the parade was more for show and to stand out rather than an official interview on national television. I always thought of myself to be pretty in a rather plain way with my petite frame and no curves or assets at all. My dark hair was twisted into a loose but fashionable bun and my rather large eyes were shaded and exaggerated with gold dust and heavy black mascara. Azula and my team had really outdone themselves this time to make me look _perfect_ whilst I was being displayed throughout of Panem, I collected my shaky hands in front of me, knotting them together like they were a piece of rope.

"Are you nervous, darling?" Charm asked and I nodded. "Don't be. The Capitol citizens are easily entertained so smiling and giving the odd joke or two will make them like you." She finished, making the whole procedure sound as easy as blinking.

 _Don't forget the blood and deaths of children. That's entertainment._

We met Rio, Ivo and his crowd of stylists at the elevator. Rio's hair was gelled back and he wore a sapphire suit to match his own eyes. He nodded his head stiffly towards me. I could tell that he was trying to get into his zone. I could have assumed that he was as nervous as I was. But that would have been ridiculous. This was _Rio._

All of the tributes sat in a high arc on the stage. I was quite happy to be in District Four, which meant I got to go eighth. I took my place in my designated seat with Rio following close behind. My eyes found Finnick, Mags and our designers. My breath caught in my throat. He looked so handsome with his hair in its usual styled scruffy manner, grey suit and sitting so tall. Mags waved subtlety to Rio and I and pointed me out to Finnick, who at that point was talking to a woman dressed in a cocktail of silver and purple and placing her hands all over him. The fact that I saw how interested she seemed to be in him, made my entire skin shiver and my heart constrict. Was this what it was like with all of the other girls? I knew I couldn't think of that right now but I just couldn't help it. When Finnick saw me something weird happened. His whole stature seemed to weaken and his mouth opened slightly as he took my appearance. Our eyes were caught like fish in a net, unable to break free. The woman next to Finnick glared at me and pestered him by poking him and laughing to get all of his attention back on her. It took her a few attempts but he turned back to her, his eyes occasionally skirting to meet mine.

The traditional music of the interviews began to play as Caesar pranced onto the stage, his canary hair and suit with black trimmings soaking up all of the lighting and attention.

"Ladies and gentleman, this is the 70th Hunger Games!" He announced with the audience clapping and cheering. "Let's get down to these tributes, if not, I believe my fabulous suit will start to get too used to the limelight." The audience were in fits of laughter, except for the mentors and tributes. The woman next to Finnick was in embarrassing hysterics.

 _Easily entertained is an understatement._

After a few more jokes Caesar finally got down to business with the tributes. The Careers practically spoke for what their outfits said about them. Satin acted ditzy and cheerful, which sent the audience wild. Maeve portrayed the confident and alluring mermaid that I was supposed to be. The audience loved them and the boys too so the standards were set incredibly high, yet were immediately lowered by Speck who couldn't stop shaking. I felt sorry for her. Like most she didn't want to be there. After her partner Relay, who spoke with a quiet intensity until the three-minute buzzer went off, it was finally my turn.

"Now, ladies and gentleman, let me introduce you to Annie Cresta! The female tribute of District Four." The audience applauded with the same intensity as they did with all of the other tributes as I reached Caesar and sat in the plush chair next to him.

 _Remember to be the nice girl._

"Might I say you look beautiful, Miss Cresta."

"Not nearly as good as you might _I_ say," I replied and tucked a loose hair strand behind my ear.

Caesar chuckled and I felt a swell of confidence within me.

"How does it feel to be in the Capitol?" Caesar asked and I grinned at him.

"Words are unable to describe how I feel to be in the Capitol, Caesar."

This got some attention from the audience as they began to clap.

"Let's just call it greatly, stupefyingly magnificent for now," Caesar said. "We know that you got a nine at your personal assessment in front of the Gamemakers. Well done." The audience offered a polite applause. "But what is your greatest strength?"

 _There is no way I am going to tell you in front of everyone._

"I wish I could tell you Caesar but," I shrugged playfully. "Then watching the Games wouldn't be fun." The audience and Caesar laughed at this. I glanced towards Finnick and Mags, she was clapping and he was nodding in approval. I hated the taste of those words on my mouth; _watching the Games wouldn't be fun_. They are anything but fun, yet the audience couldn't know because they didn't have to live in constant fear of being a victim of sport or knowing that they were going to die, like I was.

"We, we wouldn't want that would we?" Caesar said to the audience and they giggled again, I beamed at them and a few seconds later the buzzer went off. "Oh I'm afraid that is all the time we have. Let us give it up for Annie Cresta!" Caesar grabbed my hand and we stood up together as the audience cheered. "Lovely to meet you." He bowed slightly to me and I dipped my head in return.

"Thank you Caesar." I said as I made my way back up to the other tributes. I glanced towards Finnick, who was nodding his head and clapping. The woman's arm entwined with his. I snapped my head away.

"Now, give a warm round of applause to Rio Ellwitt!" The crowd roared as he strode down the stairs and waved to them, ladies whooping and screaming. The sat with his body forward. Looking like he was about to attack.

"Rio, are you prepared for the Games?" Caesar asked. Rio chuckled.

"Of course I'm ready. I'm an animal, and an animal needs to hunt," he stated. Unlike the other Career boys that took the confident and charming approach, Rio was simply animalistic, which the audience seemed to adore.

"So no alliances I presume?"

"Definitely no alliances," Rio answered. My face fell and I gripped onto my chair to prevent falling. "They are all threats that I need to extinguish in order to win." Rio smiled smugly.

"What about the girl in your District?" Caesar questioned.

"Especially her."

Realisation hit me like a train. He didn't want me to do any combat training because I would be easier to kill. If I were easier to kill, he would be one step closer to winning. My eyes were brimming with tears and I glanced over to Finnick and Mags. Mags covered her mouth with her hands and shook her head in disbelief. Finnick stared down at me with an emotionless expression and pointed to his face, indicating me to do the same. Luckily I did before the cameras fell on me. I acted as if I wasn't at all affected, when really a small part of me shattered.

Following the interviews, I met up backstage with Mags and Lola. Rio and already went forward to the elevators and I wasn't surprised to find that Finnick was nowhere to be seen. I assumed that he was probably with the woman from before. The elevator ride was silent until it was broken by shouting coming from our apartment.

"What on earth?" Lola exclaimed as we all dashed to the door. I was the first to open it. I was stunned to see Finnick holding Rio up against the wall by his collar with anger in his eyes. I only caught onto the end of what he was growling.

"-The one to make it out alive I swear I will personally kill you myself." I didn't doubt him.

"Finnick!" Mags cried in disgust. Noticing the girls, Finnick dropped Rio immediately. Rio fixed his suit and stalked towards his room, knocking his shoulder against Finnick's.

"No one come get me. Goodbye," he said curtly. All was silent until we heard his door slam.

"What were you thinking? If you hurt that boy"

"Mags relax. I didn't hurt him, okay?" Finnick said, obviously collapsing from his adrenaline rush.

"I think that this is a better time than ever to say goodbye." Lola chimed in and faced me. "Goodbye for now Annie." She smiled and gently hugged me. I wondered if it was compulsory for her to say 'for now' to give tributes a last glimmer of hope before they entered the arena. I held her tightly.

Next it was Mags to hug me and kiss my cheek. "Good luck," she whispered in my ear and squeezed my shoulders.

"Thank you, Mags," I said, holding on to her arms. Mags nodded towards the door. Lola turned back to look back at me but Mags was leading her out of the apartment. She closed the door, leaving Finnick and me alone in the living area.

"So," Finnick said walking up to me with his hands in his pockets. His tone nothing but serious and my heart was racing in my chest. "Sorry about Rio, being a jerk." I shook my head and looked down, trying to not show the hurt on my face.

"It's okay. It wasn't like I was going to win anyway-" Finnick cut me off by lifting my chin to meet hi gaze. I saw the worry in his eyes.

"Annie don't say that. You don't need him to survive. You are smart and strong enough to do it on your own. When will you see that you are better than you think you are?" Finnick's honesty froze my entire being. The room was still. Our eyes searching through each other.

 _If I am doing to die anyway._

In an instant I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulled myself on my toes and planted a soft kiss on his lips. It was only brief, and the look of shock in Finnick's eyes proved that it was a mistake, but I didn't care. It was the last time that I was going to see him. With even more speed he collected my cheeks in his hands and threw his lips onto mine. His lips were sweet and tasted like roses and I fell into his passionate kiss. I couldn't tell if the tears on his cheeks were mine or his. I scrunched his soft hair in my fists. When we broke apart, all we did was stare. Our bodies were pressed together and our breathing was heavy. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but only another breath came out.

"What is it?" I breathed.

"Fight, Annie. I will be here doing _all_ that I can to get you home." He rubbed his thumb on my cheek to wipe away something. It was a tear. "You have to win." With my mind still running from the kiss I merely nodded. Finnick kissed me swifly. "I _will_ see you soon." He brought his body away from mine and held my hand until he couldn't anymore. He headed to the door, glanced one more time at me and left. It wasn't my first kiss, but it was the only one that I actually felt something.

The next morning was a blur. The hovercraft, getting my tracker and ending up in the catacombs of the arena all felt numb.

After eating my suggested large breakfast and putting on my gear of undergarments, cargo trousers, special grip boots, shirt, blue windbreaker and my hair in a slick ponytail, I sat alone with Azula. She felt like a mile away from me, but we were only on the two-seat couch.

"You remind me of my daughter, Lita."

I snapped back to attention. "Lita? As in-"

"Yes. Your prep team Lita." I had no idea. Azula had a much more naturalistic look whilst Lita's outfits seemed to get more outrageous day by day. I didn't know how old Azula was or how young Lita was under all of that fakery. The capitol never ceased to surprise me.

"W-Why is that?" I asked.

"She lets people control her because she thinks that she is beneath them." Azula replied. She wasn't wrong about either of us. I recalled the times that she was constantly being chastised and ordered around by Charm and Tercius and the times when I let almost let Rio tell me how to train for the Games.

"A person's worth is only measured in their eyes and no one else's. Okay, Annie?"

I nodded and we were grinning at each other.

The cold voice of a woman called for the tributes for launch. I immediately began shaking. Azula and I made our way over to the glass tubes and stood in silence. Her hand was on my shoulder.

"Have you got your token?"

"Yes," I answered flashing her my wrist, the net tied on tightly.

"Good luck Annie. Show them how much you deserve to win," she said and I nodded. Surprisingly she embraced me and I returned it. I didn't know why she did it, if it was because I reminded her of her own daughter or something else entirely, stylists should never really get close to their tributes. Especially the dead meat. "Put those calloused and ugly hands to good use," she whispered in my ear and I giggled.

I stepped into the tube and the glass door closed behind me. I breathed in deep as the platform started to rise. Before I knew it I was saw the cloudy sky and the rocky terrain with twenty-three other tributes around me.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Claudius Templesmith announced, "let the Seventieth Hunger Games begin!"


	8. Chapter 8

_60\. 59. 58. 57. 56._

As the countdown began I started to survey the area; there was a large plain of rock that expanded twenty feet around the Cornucopia. Next was a rim of thick woodland trees and then large mountains that finished the bowl of the arena. I noticed that directly in front of me was a grand concrete wall that connected the two mountain ranges to complete the bowl. I knew that it was a dam and where there was a dam there was water. That was where I had to go.

 _15\. 14. 13. 12._

As I expected the Careers looked ready to kill. Their eyes glittered at the Cornucopia, searching for the prize that they wanted to collect whilst occasionally glaring at the other tributes, practically licking their lips for their first taste of blood. The rest tried to look intimidating or were just downright terrified. I was thankful that I couldn't see Rio. Thankful that he couldn't see me shaking.

 _5\. 4. 3. 2. 1._

I whispered a silent prayer and thought of my District. My parents. Mags. Finnick. The gong sounded and I began to run; concentrating on not slipping on the slanted rock beneath me. There was nothing for me in the Cornucopia that I had much skill in using so I decided to grab one of the green packs off of the ground. It was probably suicide but I had to cut through the middle to get to the water as going around would take too long and I would probably run into the other tributes. Halfway to the Cornucopia I seized the pack and dodged around the other tributes. The blood was nothing that I had ever seen before; it ran down the rocks like a thick stream from the dead tributes and the Careers wore it proudly like salt water on the lips of a newlywed District Four couple. The sight made me ill; I swallowed hard and had to keep moving. A relieved smile tinted my lips as I was only a dozen feet away from the trees into safety. My legs ached along with my lungs and my heart was pounding. I kept pushing myself until I felt a sharp pain in the back of my leg.

With a loud gasp I tumbled to the ground and scraped my hands. I turned back to see a small knife impaling the back of my right calf. The District 9 girl stood only a few feet behind me with a second knife already in her grasp. I remembered that she was better than I was at the knife throwing.

I knew that this was going to be my end.

With ugly determination in her eyes she started her descent on me; I was ready to die. Except that never happened. Her pale green windbreaker turned a dark shade of red as a spear flew through her chest. She in a heap on the ground; silent and not breathing. My eyes flew wider with fear as it was revealed that Rio was standing behind her; he was coming for me. I tried to run but my leg wouldn't let me and I fell again, holding in a painful grunt. I squeezed tears away from my eyes. One of his large arms encircled my waist as he hastily threw me on his shoulder and started running way from the Blood Bath into the woodland.

I thrashed, screamed and kicked for a good twenty minutes before he released me and let me drop to the forest ground. His left hand bore his bloody spear and I edged away from him, my fearful eyes never leaving his steady gaze. He probably wanted to kill me himself, in private to show the full force of his brutality. It was sick, but I wouldn't have expected less.

What surprised me was that he dropped his spear and fell to the floor, obviously exhausted.

"S-stay away from me," I demanded with my shaky voice.

After a few deep breaths he finally spoke.

"I don't want to hurt you," he said bluntly, holding my gaze.

"You could have fooled me last night," I retorted, my voice gaining some power.

"That was just for show. To gain more sponsors. Mags said that a few of them pay even before the Games start." He shrugged. "It just seemed like the best way."

"H-how many people did you kill?"

Rio dropped his eyes to his spear. "Two. Nine girl and Seven boy." Rio paused. That boy was only twelve years old. "What in the actually hell were you doing running _through_ the Blood Bath?" His voice was a harsh growl; if we weren't in danger of being found, I suspected that he would have screamed at me. "Thank Panem I was there or you would have been the dead one. It was brave but utterly stupid!"

"I had to get to water," I stated.

"What water?" Rio's eyes to lit up. I realised that his podium was probably facing away from the dam.

"I saw a dam, that was why I headed this way." I tried to pick myself off the floor. "We have to go quickly." I winced from the pain as I collapsed; I could barely move my leg.

"Not with you like that we can't." Rio stood back up and grabbed his spear. "We have to find a safe spot for you to rest whilst we-" Rio couldn't finish his sentence due to the firing of cannons. We fell silent as we carefully listened for them. For the first two that I heard I immediately thought of Rio's own kills; the blood on his clothes as the evidence of his deed. It ended at nine. We remained still.

"Let's go," Rio said after a few moments. He offered me his hand, which I was hesitant to take. "Look, the more time we waste, the more and more that cut of yours is going to get infected, which may lead you to dying and I have _already_ saved your life. So. Trust. Me." Frustration flashed in his eyes. I knew he was right. I had to trust him. I couldn't survive on my own with a wound like that. This time he didn't carry me, but wrapped right left arm around his shoulder and helped me hobble.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked.

"Because I can't survive on my own."

It was thirty minutes of silence and slow walking before we found a clearing of trees that encircled a small dip in the ground, creating a minimal yet quite effective shield.

"This will have to do," Rio said as he carefully helped me to sit on the ground. I looked at my clothes and I was covered in blood. I didn't say anything and acted like I hadn't notice, when really my breakfast was turning sour in my stomach. I had no idea what he had in mind, but it had something to do with fire as he was collecting sticks. It was only late afternoon so it would be a small while before it would turn dark, meaning there was nothing that noticeable about lighting a fire now that would help the Careers find us. A few minutes later I had to get the fire started due to Rio not being able to; it crackled as we sat silently, warming ourselves around the flame.

"May I?" Rio asked nodding towards the pack on my back. I made a small sound of acknowledgement in my throat as I passed it to him; he rooted through it.

"Okay. One blanket. Ten crackers. Wire. Iodine drops to purify water. Alcohol rubs for wounds. Two bota bags!" Like an animal, with hunger and excitement in his eyes he tore off the lid of the bota bag and held it to his mouth. He swore quietly as he found that the water container was empty and placed it back in the pack. "I have to say, what you did at the Blood Bath was crazy but worth it," he said and flashed me a smile. I offered one up in return.

He grabbed a relatively thin stick from the unused wood pile for the fire and pointed it at me. I jumped and dragged myself away from him. Rio rolled his eyes.

"You need to bite it."

"Why?"

"To stop you from screaming."

" _What_?" I cried and scurried further backwards and winced as the knife dug deeper into my leg.

"We need to take that knife out." He was right. I nodded shyly, scooting forward again. Rio put the stick in my mouth and I bit down on it.

"Ready?" I breathed in deep through my nose and nodded. "3. 2. 1."

With one strong and painful pull he removed the knife from my leg and my teeth sunk into the stick to repress a scream. Rio looked at me with a frown and held the all bloody knife in his hand. We both looked down at it and a three-inch wound was left behind. Rio bunched up the blanket and placed it on my wound to stop the bleeding.

"I don't think it hit any muscle," I said, the stick still clenched in my teeth.

"At least you have a weapon now." Rio chuckled slightly. I glared at him. "Now we need to cauterize it."

"That's when-"

"When you burn the wound closed to stop infection, yes."

I spat the stick to the ground. "But won't Finnick and Mags send us supplies from the Sponsors?" I asked with my voice a pitch higher and shaky.

"Annie, be realistic. There is no special cream for this kind of stuff. We either fix it now; you die from infection or we amputate later. Frankly the first is the least messy and I don't want you bitching then dying on me." A moment of silence. "What do you want?" He was right. Even if there were something that the Sponsors could do, our mentors would have sent them by now, maybe we didn't have any Sponsors.

We waited for a while and ate a cracker each whilst Rio's disinfected spearhead heated up in the fire. I cleaned my wound and the scrapes on my hands. I couldn't believe that this already happened to me. I knew that I would die but I thought that I could get through the first day at least. The spearhead glowed a molten white.

"The sun is setting; we should probably get this done soon or we will get spotted."

"Have you ever done this before?"

"Yes, one time my-" Rio stopped himself and clenched onto the spear. His eyes found mine and were asking for my permission.

"Just do it," I sighed.

Once again he gently held my leg and took one big breath in as well.

"Ready?" I placed the stick in my mouth again and nodded. "3. 2. 1."

Rio stuck the hot metal in my leg and I bit down on the stick as hard as I could. The pain was excruciating as Rio burned my leg. I clutched the ground between my hands and tears gathered in my eyes. I tried so hard not to cry and show weakness to the on looking Sponsors. If we didn't have any already we had to get some somehow; showing no weakness was one of them. After seven seconds my whole body began to shake. I tasted bile in my mouth and felt like I was burning alive. Rio gritted his own teeth with a pained expression on his face as he moved the blade down my calf, careful to see the job done as effectively as possible. I had to hold on. Show no weakness. Show no…

I passed out in fifteen seconds.


	9. Chapter 9

The light from the artificial Sun made an orange imprint on my eyelids and forced me to wake. I tried to see the damage done on my leg but I was encased in something. I withheld a scream as I struggled free and tumbled in the fire ashes; that was when I got a real look at it. It was just the green blanket from the pack covered in various foliage and dirt. I steadied my harsh breathing. I found some leaves my hair and I checked my reflection in the knife that was hidden under the blanket. Patches of my face and neck were covered in dirt and two lines down from my eyes were washed. I had no idea what happened after I passed out and I mentally slapped myself for remembering that.

 _A great way in showing the sponsors how weak you are, Annie._

I scoped around and saw that Rio and his spear were missing, yet the pack was half buried under the dry earth. I dug it out and searched the contents. Three crackers and a bota bag were missing. A sharp crack sounded from behind me. I twisted and held my shaky hand and knife out. I found Rio with a tired look on his face. I told myself that I could have thrown the knife, but in reality I knew I couldn't, not yet anyway.

"Relax," he said walking towards me with his hands in the air. "I see that you are up and moving. How's the leg?"

I hadn't even noticed it. I pulled up my trousers and found a long red and night black scar on the back of my thigh; I knew that it was never going to fade, but at least it wouldn't get infected.

"It's fine."

"That's good." Rio offered a relieved smile. "Oh and uh, sorry about the…dirt and stuff. It was the only type of camouflage that I could think of."

I shook my head dismissing his apology.

"What happened last night? After, you know." I tried to not repeat it for the cameras.

"Another cannon fired." Ten dead tributes. "And you missed the show of the fallen."

"Any of the-"

"The Careers are still alive," he interrupted, like he had just read my mind.

 _The Careers are still alive._

I nodded slowly. Only fourteen to go. When would they kill us?

"We should probably get moving. Staying in the same place for too long is risky."

"You're right," I agreed. Rio shook off the blanket and put it in the pack whilst I decided to put the knife in my belt, under my coat. Rio didn't see where I put it; some part of me still didn't trust him.

We headed to the general direction of the dam and the arena just slightly began to tilt uphill. Rio looked distracted and was searching the scenery around him. I saw the bota bag on his side.

"Did you find any water?" I asked.

He shook his head and yawned. It was a big yawn.

"Did you stay up all night?"

"Well someone had to watch your unconscious self." He smiled to me. This made my opinion of him shift slightly; he could have just not finished the job, run off with the supplies and either kill me or let the Careers find me. I smiled back to him. I still wasn't going to show him the knife though.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Just return the favour tonight, okay?" If I had to be honest, I was a little scared to but I agreed anyway.

We walked for an hour before Rio's dishevelled face lit up.

"There!" he pointed to a bush. I was slightly confused but followed him to it, yet still keeping my distance. Inside there saw a dead rabbit. It wasn't gutted or cleaned, just a dead rabbit with a hole through its side, lying on a net of leaves.

"I found a rabbit hole here. And there were a few, but when you only have a spear and no clue how to set snares, it's hard to hunt anything." He set his eyes around the ground as if searching for more prey. "Especially with forest bastards being so quick." I laughed at this. "I didn't want to gut it until we found it again. You hungry?"

My growling stomach gave the perfect response.

We set up a shrubbery barrier and set up for the night. We knew we had to keep moving, but with the lack of supplies we had with us, we believed it was best to conserve our energy. I made the fire and Rio cleaned and cooked the rabbit. I was never in the kitchen when my mother made dinner; I didn't want to see the blood or innards, but looking at it now was different. I was hungry so my mind blotted out the mess and focused on the meat. Rio was the same, completely unnerved but looked at the blood as if he wanted to consume it as water. My throat was scratchy and my tongue was dry, I had to find water.

"How long will it take to cook?"

"I am not entirely sure. Maybe thirty minutes," Rio replied, placing the meat over the fire with a stick.

I looked up and saw that the Sun was in the middle of the sky. So I guessed that the time was noon.

"Why?" He asked.

"I am going to find water," I answered and began to turn away.

"On your own?" Rio's eyes widened in alarm.

"Rio, we need food to eat and water to drink. And we already have food, so water is the most important. We have to find it soon before we dehydrate and pass out."

He paused, obviously knowing that I was right.

"Fine. But do you have your knife?"

I nodded and walked away.

"Wait!" Rio practically yelled.

"What?" I quietly barked back. He pointed to the sky and I followed his finger to a silent silver parachute descending to the ground. In an instant I snagged it and found a two-litre bottle of water attached to it. I took it off the strings and ran towards Rio and an open smile consumed face.

"Oh my God!" He laughed and took the bottle from me. I thought that he was going to drink from it, but instead he filled up his bota bag and handed it to me. I thanked him and did the same, revelling in the sound of trickling water.

Not even the sound of three cannons could stop me from smiling.

There was still some in the bottle but we decided to save it for later. We sat, ate and sipped the water; we were pleased with our bounty.

"Thank you Mags and Finnick," Rio said and raised his bota bag in the air. I thought back to the last time I saw Finnick.

" _I will be doing_ all _that I can to get you home."_

 _Thank you Finnick._

We ate quietly and remained silent long after we finished our food. The sky was turning dark and Rio was contemplative as he inspected and cleaned his spear.

"Rio?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you volunteer? You don't have to tell me-"

"I volunteered for my brother," he interrupted with so much certainty.

"You took his place?"

He looked like he was trying to distract himself by twirling his spear.

"No, he died three years ago." I witnessed the confidence he always exuberated slowly die out. Rio looked like he wanted to hang onto it, but it was hopeless. I felt intrusive just by looking at him.

"Oh, Rio I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." Rio waved me off pretty quickly. "Calder was always arrogant and _always_ wanted to be the best…but I assume that's what made him so likable, especially by my parents. I don't know if you remember this, but that one _really_ bad storm we had and someone died at sea? That was him."

"I remember," I muttered. I didn't remember the name though.

"Well, he wanted to fish, and no one stood in the way in what he wanted." He laughed slightly. "He was seventeen and was going to volunteer for The Hunger Games that year."

 _But he never got the chance._

I briefly glanced away, my nerves momentarily getting the best of me.

"My parents were so _devastated_ and have been grieving ever since…and I wanted to make them proud of _me_ and to do it for Calder at the age he wanted to. That's why I volunteered."

The only sound for a few moments was the crackling fire.

"I think you're really brave," I said.

He studied my expression. Was he looking for a lie?

"I mean it."

He turned away, staring at the flames.

"Rio-"

"Annie, I'm just _really_ tired. I need to get some rest." His tone wasn't forceful when he interrupted me. It was downtrodden.

"Yes, o-of course. I'll take watch. Goodnight, Rio."

"Here." Rio offered his spear to me. I silently took it, trying to mask the worry on my face. He didn't seem to notice as he was reaching into the pack.

"Goodnight," he murmured and settled down with the blanket wrapped around him.

I stomped out the fire and brought my knees to my chest. He wasn't so scary asleep.

I was thankful that I didn't have to use his spear. When he awoke the next morning, we ate a few crackers and I set up a few snares and we headed off, foraging berries as we walked. Two hours and another cannon passed before our trail rose to a twenty-degree angle and the ground started to turn to rock again as the trees slowly disappeared. We were faced with a ledge that stretched thirty metres and was no more than two metres thick. On one side there were the mountains, the other overlooked the Cornucopia and the rest of the arena. It was a very long way down.

"Have we been walking for _that_ long?" I asked.

"This is probably the Gamemakers changing the arena." Rio shrugged. "It just happens sometimes. Be careful."

"You too," I said with a reassuring smile.

We only made it five steps across before we were ambushed.

Before we could react, four bodies plunged from the air and pushed us to the ground; they forced us onto our knees and made us overlook the edge. I gulped with fear.

"Look what we have here," The male voice of District One teased from behind Rio.

"Nice work Atlas." I moved my eyes to the ground and saw the mace on the ground.

"Hey, I helped too!" The other male Career whined, he seemed around the same age as me and he didn't hold me tight enough to hurt me.

"Yes, yes well done Pyronn. You have the weak girl," Satin groaned obviously annoyed with him.

"What are we going to do with them?" Atlas asked.

"Kill them of course," Maeve announced, obviously addressing her plan to the audience. I assumed they would be cheering on the slaughter. She laughed maniacally and bent down to my ear. "Finnick can't help you now, Four."

In my distress and my will to live kicking in I turned my head to see Pyronn's hand on my shoulder and with all of the strength I could, I bit down on his fingers and drawing blood.

"Ow! The stupid bitch bit me!" Pyronn yelled and drew his hands away. I looked back to Rio and he did something crazy; butting me with his shoulder I screamed as I toppled over the edge.

A cannon fired. But it wasn't for me.

I grabbed an overhanging rock just in time below the overhanging ledge. My supplies were gone and the rock I was clinging on to was as sharp as glass on my already scraped palms, yet my calloused fingers barely felt a thing. I briefly drew my attention back down to the ground and sucked in a breath. I looked back up to the Careers, who thankfully couldn't see me.

"That makes fifteen fallen. I guess Cresta is dead." Maeve shrugged. "Now what to do with Mr Ellwitt?" I saw the whole scene play out in front of me. Atlas and Pyronn were too strong together for Rio to move and I watched as the girls taunted, punched and spat on him for a few minutes until Satin drew her axe.

 _No!_

Rio took one look at me with a sad smile and tears in his eyes and nodded, but I didn't have enough time to return the gesture. With one clean sweep, Rio's head was gone and it fell past me to the ground. His blue eyes almost seemed to find mine and I repressed a scream. I nearly lost my grip as the cannon fired.

"Sixteen." Atlas counted, wiping his bloody hands on his trousers. "Only eight to go."

"Just a second," Maeve said. In an instant she whipped her mace off the ground and swung into Pyronn's head. It crushed on impact and he fell off the ledge as well. His face was too beaten in to see his eyes. Blood was raining down on me and I clenched my eyes shut. Another cannon sounded.

"Sorry," she said so nonchalantly, "he was just really annoying."

They all started laughing.

 _Monsters. Sick. Sadistic. Murderous. Animals._

"You know, the Hovercraft will take Annie's body but not her supplies, let's see what she has," Atlas suggested.

"Great idea!" Satin giggled and off they went.

My hands trembled as I climbed back onto the ledge; I got on all fours and shook like a wet animal. I heaved up the contents of my stomach until only acidic bile was left and began to cry. I pulled my hair and started to rock back and forth, back and forth. I only noticed Rio's body after my eyes weren't so full of tears. I had to get away. I took off to the other side of the ledge and sprinted the way down.

I didn't keep track of how long I was running for; I only stopped when I breathlessly fell to the ground and vomited again. The tears started to fall again.

"Psst." I heard from above me.

I curled up into a ball and placed my hands over my ears.

"I am not a Career! Please help." I knew that voice from somewhere. I looked up. It was Speck Chrommel with her upside down face redder than her hair and the blood on her ankle that was caught in a snare. _My_ snare _._ The Gamemakers were really changing the game.

"Please help! I just need to find Relay. Do you have a knife?"

I nodded and reached for it in my belt. I stopped as I heard the cheering of familiar voices. They were really close. My entire being began to shake. I took one last glance at Speck's pleading eyes, mouthed an apology and ran away.

"Please don't leave!" Speck shrieked. "Help!" Her cry turned into a scream of terror; another cannon fired but I kept running. I knew that I was the one that killed her. If I hadn't set that snare or helped her get out of it she probably would be still alive. But I didn't. I killed her.

I ran. I kept on going. I tripped on a rock and flew to the ground; my face and hands were scraped and my clothes ripped on the jagged surface as I fell, I was glad that I didn't hit my head.

Unable to run any longer I settled for a slow limp. I had no idea where I was going or who I bumped into, some part of me just gave up.

After a few minutes I saw a small cave that would fit at most fit me twice inside of it. I scrambled to find some shrubbery and placed it in front of my new hiding spot.

I wept my eyes out for hours, rocking and blocked my ears to try to stop the sounds of their laughter. The sound of the axe swinging through the air. The sound of Rio's tearing skin and Speck's screams of terror. Cannons. Again and again these awful sounds played on loop in my brain and there was nothing that I could do to stop them. I replayed every single detail until I could take it no longer. I knocked my head against the side of the small cave until I fell asleep or knocked myself out, I couldn't tell.


	10. Chapter 10

_Cold liquid needles injected themselves into my body, dragging me underwater. Sharp currents rung my neck as I was pulled further and further downwards. My lungs burned for air and I took a quick gasp. It tasted of blood. I screamed with fear and two people seemed to step over me. One had multiple cut wounds over their body with now blood soaked orange pigtails and cold black eyes._

 _Speck._

 _The other had its head under its arm with its own eyes black and unforgiving._

" _You killed me." Speck snarled._

 _I furiously shook my head. My vision began to blur_

No…

" _I saved you Annie. Why didn't you help me?" Rio asked, blood pouring from the lips of his severed head that he held in his arms as he spoke._

No. No. No. No _._

 _I tried to fight against the water but the more I struggled the more I sank._

" _Accept it Annie."_

I gasped awake, covered in sweat and completely disorientated. Everything suddenly came back to me and coughed up more bile into my cut hands. It burned. I wiped the tears away with my arm and tried to take tiny sips of water from my bota bag, one of the only things that I had after the ambush. I finished it off and rested my back against the cramped cave wall and twisted my neck into a weird position. I gazed out and the leaves from my shrubbery door allowed only small fractures of light in. I had no idea how long I had been asleep for, but a part of me didn't want to wake up.

" _Accept it Annie."_

I trembled and blocked my hands over my ears and started to rock back and forth. It was my fault. My fault they were dead. I killed them. I killed them.

It was hours before I heard a sound outside of the cave. I froze in place and tried so hard to not to make a noise by biting down on my knee. Yet, the sound was brief and too light to be a footstep. It took a few long moments before I gathered enough confidence and breath to peer through the bush. I saw a large picnic basket and my eyes brightened with delight when I saw the angel white parachute attached to it. I snatched the basket into my hovel and eagerly began to root through it, inside was: Cheese, District Four bread, three large bottles of water, a sleeping bag, medical wipes and…sleeping medication. I pulled the basket into my trembling arms and I muttered over and over again:

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you."

I was surprised that I wasn't crying again.

After I cleaned and covered my scrapes I slowly began to eat the seaweed bread and cheese, having no idea how hungry I was until I took the first bite into it. My brain told me to savour it but my stomach growled with anticipation and I consumed more than half of each, as well as a full bottle of water. It completely baffled me how I was able to get sponsors after the pathetic show that I had been putting on for them. Rio must have gotten them early on and Finnick and Mags must have saved them for a specific time for-

The blast of a cannon interrupted my thoughts and pushed my mind back to the thought Rio and Pyronn falling from the ledge. Again and again it played in my head. No matter how hard I blocked my ears, scraped my nails into my skin or the number of tears I shed I couldn't get the images to stop. I knew I couldn't survive and I didn't want to spend my final moments reeling in pain. At that moment I prayed to just close my eyes and have everything be over and done with.

I was struck with an idea.

I reached for the sleeping pills and took the daily guideline of two and a warning of what would happen if I consumed too many. The label said that I had to wait three minutes before it took affect but my eyes were so drawn to the bright orange capsules. Would it be so bad? I'm sure my parents would miss me but how I died wouldn't make a difference. And it's better to die like this rather than as a messy spectacle for them to see me. Would people call me a coward? I would be dead so why would It matter to me?

I took a deep breath and grabbed a handful. What was the point of last words? They mean nothing in the games.

" _Fight, Annie."_

It was the voice of Finnick that stopped me from taking the seven capsules in my hand. And I thought about my parents and how I could see them again after the Games. I would see Mags' smiling face and Finnick's deep eyes.

I had to fight. The possibility of winning was as far away as reaching the stars but I knew that I couldn't go down like this. I snapped out of it and threw them on the ground and crushed them under my boots. I only took one. I just had to.

I looked around the cave for any cameras; they were all probably watching me right now, or wasn't. The Careers were most definitely doing something more interesting or murderous than I was. Maybe Finnick wasn't watching at all as he was currently with another Capitol woman. All the negative thoughts slowly dissolved away as my eyelids grew heavier. I wrapped myself in the sleeping bag and dreamt an empty nightmare.

It had been three days and not a single cannon fired. The audience must have started to become bored, and there were only five tributes left - me, the Careers and another. Could it have been Relay? Was he waiting for Speck? Did he know that I had left her for dead? The thoughts swamped my mind again and the that cowardly moment replayed in my mind for the fiftieth time. I had been slipping in and out of consciousness still huddled in my small sanctuary, and I had gotten two more baskets of supplies. The gifts must have gotten really expensive and I had no idea how people where still interested in me.

The times that I didn't eat or have pill sleeps; were the times that my hands stayed firmly against my ears in an attempt to block out the constant noises with thoughts of my life before I was Reaped. How could one slip of paper be such a cruel life changing sentence? I gave up on tying knots a while ago as my shaky hands could barely hold the rope. It was my only physical reminder of the outside world. My fingernails and the hair by my ears were coated in dry blood from all of the scratching. From what I could see of myself in reflection of the water bottle, my eyes were puffy red and the colour was dying. I wiped the dirt off my face a few days ago but I could still see patches that I wasn't bothered to clean. Appearances and impressing people didn't matter to me anymore; I had given up on everything but my small fraction of will to live.

A few hours went by of sobbing before a few pebbles fell on my head. There was a deep shudder and growl from the cave and I scrambled to my knees. I bolted out of the opening and immediately collapsed to the ground. It didn't surprise me that my legs were just as less useless as I was. My heart was racing and I covered my head from a few propelled rock shards. The foreign brightness of the sun almost blinded me and I slowly I opened my eyes to get them to adjust, but I was completely taken back by my surroundings. _Everything_ was bare; there was no longer and trees and the entire landscape was just flat rock. The Gamemakers must have changed everything. My heart constricted and I felt like I was drowning on land. I had seen the Games before. They must have been planning a grand finale. Everyone was tired of waiting so they should give one last show to see what the Tributes were made of and to determine the winner. I frantically twisted and turned around to get any indication of what their plan could be. No mutts or wild animals. What were they planning?

But I did find something. At first it was quite hard to see from where I lying but I saw the cracks. Then the crumbling wall. Then the water.

The dam was breaking and I had nowhere to hide.


	11. Chapter 11

The wave was coming from my left and soon enough it would be everywhere. I picked myself off from the ground and forced my legs to remember how to run but it was pointless. I was floundering around like a fish out of water and it regretfully it wouldn't stay that way. I was consumed by the powerful wave that tossed me around like ragdoll. With many strong kicks I flew upwards and emerged to the surface. The water was even colder than my dreams and it seemed like it was reaching into my lungs and stealing my breath away. I was panting so much and trying to remain calm. The burning saltiness of the water stung my eyes as I tried to rub them clean. I didn't see the large wave.

Once again I was flailing in the water, and with every attempt I tried to swim back to the surface, I was beaten by another wave, forcing me farther away from the surface.

 _This is it. I am going to die._

I couldn't hold my breath any longer; the world grew fuzzier and darker as I sank lower and lower. It was a lot more peaceful than my nightmares. Everything was quiet. Drowning wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

" _Daddy, what if I drown?" I asked nervously, knotting my fingers together and standing by the oceans edge. I shied away every time the water tickled my toes. I was five years old and still didn't know how to swim, a practical sin in District Four._

 _My father chuckled. "You'll be fine, Annie."_

" _But, what if there is a shark?"_

" _I'm scarier than anything you can find in this ocean." That was a lie, he was so sweet and of course he said it to make me feel better. "Just run in. I'll help you."_

 _I nodded, took a deep breath and sprinted into his arms._

I saw everything. Birthdays, anniversaries, school days, I saw my reaping day, the train journey and the parade. Mags has her arms wrapped around me and Finnick's lips were clinging to mine; I remembered it.

" _You have to win."_

 _Okay Finnick. One last time. For everyone else._

I willed my eyes to open and saw the light above. I knew that I had one chance for air and that was it. I had to win, for my parents, my District, for everything. With my last ounce of energy, I kicked down hard at the water and sucked in the biggest breath that my lungs could take when I burst through to the surface. I sputtered and coughed and panted but kept my legs moving to help me stay afloat; though that proved to be a challenge. The waves just would not stop coming and I had to keep on swimming. The only relief I had was when small currents would slowly drag me along until I get drawn into the crest of a wave again and again. It got to the point when I feared any sort of movement in the water. Even the water itself.

I had no idea how long I was swimming for, but I knew it was around three hours. It was cannon after cannon until I realised that there was only two left. The light had left the sky and for the first time since I was four, I was afraid of it. My breaths got shallower as I accidentally inhaled more water and my limbs shook with every move that I made. I had four rules for survival:

 _Eyes open._

I was so tired I would catch myself unwillingly shutting my eyes.

 _Head up. Head up._

Most of the time I found it a struggle to stay on the surface for more than a mere minute.

 _Live in the present._

Sometimes the flashback would come back and each time I had to submerge myself for them to go away, which kind of went against my first and second rule.

 _Swim._

I just had to keep moving, and swimming and-

My thoughts were cut off by the sudden pull of the water under my legs. I tried to swim away but this was a lot stronger than any other current I faced before and I felt too weak to fight against it. It felt I was kicking through air and was getting me absolutely nowhere. With a heavy sigh I let go, hoping for me for the other person to die first.

What I thought was a current was much worse than that. It started to twist slowly and it wasn't until when it started spinning faster when I realised that I was in a whirlpool.

With newfound fearful adrenaline in my body I thrusted and scraped at the water to set me free from my awful fate. There were no whirlpools in District Four, so I had no idea what to do with one. My pulse raced at an unimaginable level as my legs slowly began to fail on me, I pleaded for them to work but I was too distracted by a nails clawing their way up my body.

A found a pair of disastrously familiar green eyes glaring at me. Maeve started clawing at me to pull me deeper and I unwillingly complied. The spinning water was so disorientating that I could barely see her pale hands wrap around my delicate throat, making it twice as easy for her to drown me. Her feral glare never left mine as she was tightening her grip. I began to see black and wide spots consume my vision as my arms went limp at my sides.

She had me. I tried. I really tried.

That was the moment when my hand brushed the knife in my belt.

I swiped the knife and impaled it into the side of her throat, her shoulder and I gouged her left eye out. She fought against me and tried to take hold my knife but her gripped loosened with every stab. I thought of Rio and Speck and pushed all my anger and energy into that moment. Maeve's screams were drowned out I felt so much of everything and nothing at all.

Her hands _finally_ loosened as the water turned cloudy red. I pushed down on her head as a tool to bring me to the surface. When I broke through, I heard the last cannon fire.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victor of the Seventieth Huger Games, Annie Cresta! I give you – the tribute of District Four." Claudius Templesmith announced.

 _It's done. It's over._

I released a sigh of relief and floated on the surface of the red sea, trying to get my breathing back under control. I couldn't tell if I was crying or if it was just the water. A hovercraft emerged from above like an angel. A ladder was released from it and I grabbed hold as it brought me up to safety.

Someone was there to help me hold onto the ladder and I was laid on the floor. Frantic doctors fussing over my body as my eyes slowly began to shut. I was so exhausted that I couldn't help it.

 _I won._

" _Speck! No. I'm so sorry." I begged to the reflection in the pool of water that I was standing in. A bloody scream erupted from her lips as her reflection painfully contorted itself into Rio, carrying his head again._

" _Rio! I'm sorry." I cried and blocked my eyes from the reflections._

 _I screamed and screamed._

My eyes flew open and I was shocked by my surroundings, forgetting that I was no longer huddled in my cave or consumed by waves of blood. I lay in a sterile white room on a firm bed, I noticed that I had some restraints removed from my body. A drip was pierced into my arm and a bottle of water and a glass lay by my bed. I licked my dry lips with anticipation and reached for the clean water. My body ached so much but I didn't care. The unsalted water was heaven and I finished the entire bottle in a a few goes. I stood up and rested my palm against the wall to help me balance. I didn't feel entirely well but it was the closest I had felt to peace since my name was plucked from the Reaping Bowl.

I flinched when I heard the door open. Before I turned around to see who entered I grabbed the bottleneck and smashed it against the side of the table and pointed it towards the intruder. I was shocked and I thought I was going to faint.

He stood still on the threshold, raising his shaky hands in surrender, his own eyes glistening with tears.

"Annie," he whispered.

"F-Finnick," I stuttered and glanced downwards. Broken glass stung my hands and feet and ruby red blood seeped through the cuts. My find fled to the memory of Rio, Pyronn, Speck and Maeve. So much blood. I had killed three.

I dropped the bottle and pressed my bloody hands to my ears, falling against the wall. I released a primal concoction of sobbing and screaming. In an instant Finnick had collected mmein his arms and sat us down on the bed, I relaxed into him. Finnick kept me from jumping as an Avox boy walked in.

"Get out!" Finnick yelled. The Avox gulped, left the tray of food on the floor by the door and rushed out. I was relentless to stop myself from shaking. Finnick just sat there and allowed me to cry into him, knowing what I had been through.

"What have they done to you?" He murmured as he stroked my hair.

 _They broke me beyond repair._


End file.
